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Gujarati Khatta Dhokla

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Gujarati Khatta Dhokla are fermented and steamed savoury cakes made with lentils, rice and sour yogurt.

Khatta dhokla pieces in a plate.
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In Gujarati cooking, steaming is a common method to cook many recipes. Handvo, moist dudhi na muthiya,spongy nylon khaman,sweet and spicy patra and khichu are all such examples.

Yellow khatta dhokla are made with chana dal and rice. Others are made with different lentils and flavourings like these dhokla with moong dal and garlic.

My Mum always uses a ratio of 1 cup of rice and ¾ cup of chana dal and this always works for her.

The whole cooking process requires some time. Firstly the rice and lentils are soaked then ground into a slightly coarse batter. This is fermented overnight until it turns sour and rises. Flavourings are then added and then steamed until spongy. The dhokla are finished with an aromatic tempering then served.

Here in the UK we have to wait for hot summer days to get a decent rise otherwise I use my Instant pot handvo dhokla batter recipe to ferment.

For recipe variations, try making these fun sandwich dhokla. You can also make "instant" rava dhokla with semolina and yogurt.

Ingredients

Be sure to check out the full recipe and exact ingredient list below in the recipe card.

  • Rice - I recommend using short grain rice and not long-grain basmati rice
  • Chana dal (split Bengal gram lentils)
  • Salt to taste
  • Yogurt - low fat sour yogurt works best. Do not use full fat greek or greek style yogurt. The yogurt brings the tart flavour and helps with the fermentation.
  • Turmeric powder
  • Green chilli and ginger - crushed. You can add some crushed garlic too.
  • Eno fruit salt or baking soda
  • Optional to garnish - red chilli powder, desiccated coconut

Alternatively, you can purchase dhokla flour from Indian supermarkets

Tempering:

  • Oil
  • Mustard seeds
  • Cumin seeds
  • Curry leaves
Khatta dhokla in a brass plate.

Hayley's Tips

  • To make white dhokla, simply omit the turmeric powder.
  • Soak the rice and dal well (8 hrs or overnight). Keep the batter mixture coarse when grinding. Smooth batter will lead to chewy dhokla.
  • Allow to ferment well in a warm place, It should double in volume and smell sour.
  • Do not over stir the batter after fermentation to prevent it deflating.
  • If steaming the dhokla in batches, only add the eno to the batch you are about to cook.
  • The batter should be pourable but not runny. Like thick pancake batter.
  • Preheat the steamer or pot before placing the plate inside.
  • Steam on medium heat for about 12 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
  • Do not open the lid frequently while steaming.
  • Pour the tempering evenly over the cooled dhokla, not hot — to avoid making it soggy.
  • Let the dhokla cool for 10 minutes before cutting. This helps it set and avoids crumbling.

Equipment

Grinder or blender - To prepare the batter.

Steamer or large pot with lid – Traditional method for steaming dhokla. You can also use an idli steamer or a pressure cooker without the whistle.

Dhokla plate or shallow thali – Flat, round plate to pour the batter into for steaming.

Small pan – For preparing the tempering/tadka.

Steamer Stand or Trivet – To place the dhokla plate inside the steamer or pot.

Serving Suggestion

Serve khatta dhokla the traditional way as a snack with a cup of masala chai.

They'll also go great with this green mint and coriander chutney, sweet imli chutney or Rajkot special green chutney.

In the summer try this raw green mango chutney or spicy red chilli raw mango chutney.

Dhokla will often be a part of a Gujarati thali as a farsan.

Storage

Store leftover dhokla in an airtight container and keep refrigerated for up to 1 day. Reheat in the microwave before serving. They can also be served at room temperature.

Dhokla can be frozen for up to 3 months and you should allow the dhokla to thaw at room temperature. You may find that the texture of the dhokla is not as good.

One piece of gujarati dhokla in a bowl of green chutney.

As always if you make this recipe, be sure to leave me a comment, rate this recipe and tag me on Instagram @jcookingodyssey or #jcookingodyssey. I love seeing all your photos of my recipe recreations!

Don’t forget to follow me on social media using the buttons below – I can't wait to see you all there!

📖 Recipe

Khatta dhokla pieces in a plate.

Khatta Dhokla

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Gujarati Khatta Dhokla are fermented and steamed savoury cakes made with lentils, rice and sour yogurt.
Course Breakfast, lunch, sides
Cuisine Gujarati
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Soaking and Fermenting Time 10 hours
Total Time 10 hours 30 minutes
Servings 30 pieces
Author Hayley Dhanecha

Ingredients

Khatta Dhokla Batter

  • 1 cup rice
  • ¾ cup chana dal
  • ½ cup yogurt
  • 3 tablespoon ginger and green chillies crushed
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon eno or baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon red chilli powder optional

Vaghar - Tempering

  • 4 tablespoon oil
  • 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • ¼ teaspoon hing
  • 1 sprig curry leaves optional

Garnish

  • 4 tablespoon coriander leaves
  • 1 tablespoon grated coconut optional

Instructions

Khatta Dhokla Batter

  • Rinse rice and lentils in clean water, then soak in cold water atleast 8 hours or overnight.
  • Add soaked rice and lentils in a blender jug, grind into a coarse paste with little water.
  • Don’t add too much water in the beginning, you can always add more water afterwards if you think batter is too thick.
  • The batter has to be same consistency as the idli batter. Add yogurt and mix well.
  • Cover the pan with a lid and allow to ferment for 6-7 hours in warm place. (above 25℃)
  • Add turmeric powder, salt, ginger, chillies and mix well. Add little water if the batter is thick.
  • Heat 3 cups water in a big pot, add eno in batter and mix.
  • Pour batter in a deep lightly greased thali.
  • Sprinkle red chilli powder on top of the batter.
  • Steam for about 12 minutes.
  • Leave it to cool slightly. Cut with a clean knife into diamond or square shape.

Vaghar - Tempering

  • Heat oil in a small pan, add mustard seeds and cumin seeds, once they crackle add hing.
  • Tip in curry leaves, then dhokla pieces.
  • Mix and saute for a couple of minutes.
  • Turn off the heat, sprinkle coriander leaves and coconut.

Video

Notes

Find important recipe tips in the post above. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1piece | Calories: 59kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 0.3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 236mg | Potassium: 22mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 0.3g | Vitamin A: 21IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 17mg | Iron: 0.3mg

PLEASE NOTE: Nutritional values are estimated by a computer and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes. For personalised dietary advice, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.

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Note – This recipe has been updated from our recipe archives with new images and content. First published in April 2012.

Tarka Daal (British Indian Restaurant Style)

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This Tarka Daal (dhal) is the creamy yellow lentil daal found in British Indian restaurant-style menus. Made with red lentils, yellow moong dal, ginger, garlic and a sizzling cumin-chilli tarka, it is thick, comforting, gently spiced and ready in about 30 minutes.

I serve it with takeaway style yellow pilau rice, pillowy garlic coriander naan and homemade crispy onion bhajis for a proper curry night.

Female hands are holding a bowl of tarka dal.
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British Indian Restaurant-Style Tarka Daal

This is the kind of dal I associate with British Indian restaurants and takeaways.

It is not a thin everyday dal, and it is not the same as every regional Indian dal tadka.

The texture is the main thing.

The lentils should be completely soft and naturally broken down, but not blended into a smooth puree. I always think of curry house tarka dal as creamy and a little bitty at the same time.

It should be thinner than soup, but thicker than a watery broth.

That texture is why I use both red lentils and yellow moong dal. They cook down beautifully together and give the dal that soft, creamy base without needing to blend it.

I leave tomatoes out of this version because, to me, British Indian restaurant-style tarka dal is usually tomato-free.

Tarka Dhal Ingredient Notes

Be sure to check out the full recipe and exact ingredient list below in the recipe card.

Red lentils and yellow moong dal

I use red lentils with yellow moong dal because they both break down easily and create a creamy base.

This is what makes the dal feel like curry house tarka dal rather than a brothy lentil soup.

Ghee or oil

Ghee adds depth and tastes gorgeous in the tarka.

That said, a neutral flavoured oil works too. Many UK curry houses are not necessarily using ghee every time, so don’t feel the recipe fails without it.

Use ghee for a richer vegetarian version, or oil for a vegan tarka dal.

Cumin and dried red chilli

These are essential for the tarka. The cumin should sizzle and smell nutty, and the dried chilli gives that restaurant-style aroma.

Lemon

One of my favourite stops on the drive home from Brighton was a curry house where we once picked up a late-night takeaway. Their tarka dal always came packed with a lemon wedge.

That little squeeze of lemon over creamy yellow dal was so simple, but so good.

I use the juice of a lemon and keep an extra wedge to serve on the side. It lifts the creamy lentils and makes the dal taste brighter without adding tomatoes.

Set A Curry House Style Table

Tarka daal is right at home with vegetarian Indian restaurant curries such as authentic saag aloo, Indian vegetable curry or brinjal bhaji. Paneer tikka masala looks fancy but isn't complicated to make.

I like to spoon it over jeera rice, plain boiled basmati rice or takeaway yellow pilau rice.

For breads, go for whole wheat chapati or whole wheat paratha. If you fancy naan, my go-to are garlic and coriander naan or peshwari naan.

The dream plate wouldn't be complete without poppadoms, Indian poppadom dips and kachumber or Indian onion salad.

Tarka dahl served in a bowl with jeera rice and naan on the side.

Make Ahead & Leftovers

Tarka daal keeps well. The lentils will continue to thicken as they sit. Add a splash of hot water when reheating to bring it back to a thick but pourable consistency.

My secret to getting the best flavour from stored tarka daal is to make a fresh small tarka when reheating leftovers. It wakes the daal up again and makes it taste much closer to freshly made!

As always if you make this recipe, be sure to leave me a comment, rate this recipe and tag me on Instagram @jcookingodyssey or #jcookingodyssey. I love seeing all your photos of my recipe recreations!

Don’t forget to follow me on social media using the buttons below – I can't wait to see you all there!

📖 Recipe

Tarka dal served in a karahi.

Tarka Dal

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This homemade Tarka Dal tastes just like your favourite Indian restaurant and takeaway. It's a classic dish made with a mix of two lentils that are simmered in an aromatic tarka.
Course Side Dish
Cuisine Indian
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 8 servings
Author Hayley Dhanecha

Equipment

  • Pressure cooker or Instant Pot

Ingredients

  • 1 cup split red lentils
  • 1 cup yellow lentils
  • 1 onion
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 1 green chillies
  • ½ inch ginger
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
  • 2 teaspoon cumin coriander powder
  • ¼ teaspoon garam masala
  • 2 tablespoon oil

Tarka (Tempering)

  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • 1 tablespoon ghee
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1 dried red chillies
  • 1 teaspoon red chilli powder

Garnishing

  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon coriander leaves chopped

Instructions

  • Wash the lentils thoroughly under running water and leave to soak whilst you prepare the base.
  • Crush or finely chopped the onions, garlic, green chillies and ginger.

Stovetop (pan)

  • Heat oil in a pan and tip in the onion, garlic, green chillies and ginger mixture.
  • Sauté gently until the onion mixture has reduced and changed colour.
  • Add the turmeric, cumin coriander powder and garam masala and mix well.
  • Tip in the soaked lentils and saute for a minute with the onion mixture.
  • Pour over hot water to completely cover the lentils and bring the mixture to a rolling boil. Then reduce to a simmer, cover with a lid, and cook until the lentils are broken down and soft. You may need to keep adding water and stir at intervals to prevent sticking.

Instant Pot Method

  • Select the saute mode of your Instant Pot or pressure cooker and follow the steps above.
  • To cook the dal, add enough water to fully cover the dal about 1 inch above. Close the Instant Pot lid and select the Pressure Cooking function. Pressure cook on HIGH for 12 minutes and allow for natural pressure release.

Tempering the dal

  • Heat oil and ghee if using in a small pan. Once hot, add the cumin seeds and dried red chilli. Once the seeds sizzle, tip in the red chilli powder.
  • Quickly, pour the tempering over the cooked dal and swirl in.
  • Squeeze over lemon juice and garnish with fresh coriander leaves.

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 1 | Calories: 249kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 5mg | Sodium: 34mg | Potassium: 286mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 200IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 37mg | Iron: 3mg

PLEASE NOTE: Nutritional values are estimated by a computer and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes. For personalised dietary advice, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.

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Cereal Chevdo

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Cereal Chevdo is a crispy Indian snack mix made with a mix of packaged cereals, nuts and spices. This quick and easy savoury trail mix is mildly spiced, sweet, crunchy and totally addictive. It makes a great tea time snack but is delicious enough to be served on Diwali!

Cereal chevdo in a white bowl.
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Oven Roasted Potatoes without Parboiling

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Crispy oven roasted potatoes are coated in a delicious herb seasoning. This recipe skips par-boiling potatoes saving you time and washing up! Simply cut the potatoes, toss in oil and seasoning and roast in the oven until crispy and golden.

These simple oven roasted potatoes are the perfect side dish for so many meals. Perfectly crispy on the outside with a fluffy interior.

Oven roasted potatoes in a tray.
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Authentic Karak Chai (Karak Tea)

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A cup of Karak Chai is just what you need in the morning. Strong, spiced and mildly sweet, this easy Karak chai recipe takes less than 10 minutes to make. Make this strong tea using loose black tea, sugar, whole spices and milk.

A cup of karak chai served with a cookie.

The word Karak or Kadak means ‘strong’ and Chai means ‘tea’. This aromatic tea is also known as Chai Karak, kadak chai or Qatari Tea. It is a hugely popular drink in India and Pakistan, but I have learned that it is enjoyed in Arab countries such as Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and the Middle East.

Karak Chai is prepared with strong black tea, evaporated milk or regular milk, cardamom, ginger and sugar. It differs from an authentic Indian Masala Chai (traditional Indian tea) by using fewer spices.

Indian chai is typically flavoured with different types of spices: cinnamon, black pepper, cardamom, ginger and clove such as Indian ginger chai and cardamom chai. On special occasions, you'll find milk tea with saffron also served.

Karak Tea is thick and caramel coloured, and has a stronger flavour compared with a regular cup of tea you get in the western world.

Ingredients

Be sure to check out the full recipe and exact ingredient list below in the recipe card.

karak chai recipe ingredients on light brown wooden kitchen worktop.

Tea â€“ a good tea is the main ingredient for delicious karak tea. The original karak tea, is made with black tea leaves. You can use strong black loose leaf such as PG TIPS or the Indian strong tea WAGH BAKRI which is commonly used to make Indian Masala Tea.

Milk â€“ Use fresh milk or evaporated milk. I like to use evaporated milk as it is thick and slightly sweet. For a milky tea, you can add more milk to the recipe.

Ginger – Fresh ginger is a key ingredient in karak chai. You can use ginger powder also but fresh is best!

Aromatic spices â€“ the chai spices used here are cardamom and cinnamon. I have used crushed green cardamom pod and cinnamon stick.

Sugar â€“ use normal granulated sugar or brown sugar. Optionally, use condensed milk which has a high sugar content and reduce the amount of milk added.

Water - regulat tap water.

For a vegan version, swap for a dairy free or plant based alternatives. Oat milk is great as it can be boiled without splitting.

How to make Karak Chai

1. First, boil water in a kettle or in a saucepan over the stove. Use 1 cup of water for each person so increase the cups of water depending on your guests. Meanwhile, you can use a pestle and mortar to crush the spices or bash with a rolling pin.

ginger and whole spices in a bowl.
A woman hand is adding loose black tea in boiling water.

2. Add strong loose black tea (1.5 teaspoon for a cup), crushed ginger, cardamom pods and cinnamon bark.

Tea is boiling in a pan.
A woman hand is pouring milk in boiling black tea in a pan.

3. Bring the mixture to the boil on medium-high heat, add milk and let it boil for at least five minutes (make sure it doesn’t boil over the pan) until you see a beautiful caramel colour and the tea thickens. Switch to low heat if the tea keeps boiling over.

karak chai or karak tea boiling in a pan.
Adding sugar in a karak chai recipe.

4. Add sugar (if using) and once again bring it to boil.

5. Using a tea strainer, pour tea into cups and enjoy.

Serving Suggestion

Karak Tea can be served for breakfast, at brunch or as afternoon tea.

It is best enjoyed the Indian way with Indian snacks such as these air fryer frozen samosa or pakora.

Tea and biscuits are also the perfect marriage enjoyed this way in both South Asia and all regions of the world. Whether it’s a Eggless Linzer Cookies or an Indian variety, such as Nankhatai, Coconut and Cardamom Wholewheat Cookies you need to serve the tea with biscuits.

In our house, we often serve handvo, Gujarati thepla, masala lachha paratha, masala bhakhri or bajri na vada as well. 

Storage

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge and reheat on the stove the next day.

Two cups of karak tea or karak chai on the serving tray next to cookies.

As always if you make this recipe, be sure to leave me a comment, rate this recipe and tag me on Instagram @jcookingodyssey or #jcookingodyssey. I love seeing all your photos of my recipe recreations!

Don’t forget to follow me on social media using the buttons below – I can't wait to see you all there!

📖 Recipe

A cup of karak chai served with a cookie.

Karak Chai (Karak Tea)

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Karak Chai or Karak tea is a strong Qatari Tea made with black tea, cardamom and evaporated milk. Learn how to make this delicious Middle Eastern tea at home.
Course Beverage, Breakfast
Cuisine Middle eastern, Qatar, UAE
Prep Time 2 minutes
Cook Time 7 minutes
Total Time 9 minutes
Servings 2 cups
Author Hayley Dhanecha

Ingredients

US Customary - Metric
  • 1 cup evaporated milk or whole milk
  • 2 cup water
  • 3 teaspoon tea black loose
  • 2 teaspoon sugar
  • 5 cardamom pods crushed
  • ½ inch cinnamon bark
  • 1 tablespoon ginger grated

Instructions

  • Boil water in a kettle and pour in the saucepan or directly boil the 2 cup water in a saucepan over the stovetop.
    2 cup water
  • Crush the spices 5 cardamom pods, ½ inch cinnamon bark, 1 tablespoon ginger.
  • Add cardamom, cinnamon, ginger and 3 teaspoon tea.
    3 teaspoon tea, 5 cardamom pods, ½ inch cinnamon bark, 1 tablespoon ginger
  • Bring it to a boil, then add 1 cup evaporated milk.
    1 cup evaporated milk, 2 teaspoon sugar
  • Then add 2 teaspoon sugar.
  • Let the mixture come to a rolling boil and let the tea boil for at least 3-4 minutes.
  • Once you see the tea has a dark caramel colour and thickens, turn off the heat.
  • Using a tea strainer, pour the tea into cups and enjoy.

Video

Notes

Add a small pinch of saffron and one clove along with ginger, cinnamon and cardamom, if you wish. 
Serve with these Vegan Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 108kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 15mg | Sodium: 54mg | Potassium: 257mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 198IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 176mg | Iron: 1mg

PLEASE NOTE: Nutritional values are estimated by a computer and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes. For personalised dietary advice, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.

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Note – This recipe has been updated from our recipe archives with new images and content, but the recipe remains the same. First published in May 2019.