For Batter

• Take 1.5 cups gram flour (120 grams besan) in a mixing bowl or pan. Do use gram flour which has a fine texture.
• 2 to 3 pinches of turmeric powder
• a generous pinch of asafoetida (skip to make a gluten-free version)
• 1.5 tablespoons lemon or lime juice or ⅓ to ½ teaspoon pure citric acid
• 1.5 teaspoons ginger paste (crush 1.5 inch ginger and 1.5 teaspoons green chilies in a mortar-pestle)
• 1.5 teaspoons green chili paste
• 1 tablespoon sugar or add according to taste
• 1 teaspoon salt or add as per taste
• Add 1 cup water (or more or less as needed) and 1 tablespoon oil to make a thick yet smooth flowing batter.
• Then add 1 tablespoon rava (semolina). This is entirely optional but adds a good texture to the khaman. Skip rava or semolina for a gluten-free option.
• Stir with a whisk to create a smooth, thick batter without any lumps.
• The batter should be thick yet flow easily off of the whisk. A quick tip is that if the batter becomes thin, then 1 to 2 tablespoons of gram flour.

• Next add 2 teaspoons Eno or fruit salt. 2 teaspoons of Eno makes the khaman soft and fluffy
• Pour the prepared batter into the greased pan
• Gently shake so that the batter evens out in the pan. Below is a picture of the batter ready to be steamed.
• Place the pan in a steamer or electric rice cooker or pressure cooker. The water should already be boiling or hot when you place the pan with the khaman batter.
• Steam for 15 to 20 minutes in an electric rice cooker. If using a pan or pressure cooker or Instant Pot, steam for 12 to 15 minutes on a medium to medium-high heat.
• To check the doneness, insert a toothpick. It should come out clean if the khaman is done. If the toothpick has the batter on it, then you need to steam for another minutes or so.
• Let the khaman become warm or cool completely. Gently slide a butter knife along the edges to release the khaman from the pan. Place a plate or tray on top of the pan.
• Then quickly invert the pan
• Greased well, the khaman will easily slide out onto the plate
• Use a sharp knife to slice the khaman in squares and set aside until ready to temper.

• Add 1 teaspoon of mustard seeds and allow them to crackle.
• When the mustard seeds are crackling, add 10 to 12 curry leaves, and, if you like, 1 teaspoon of cumin seeds and 1 teaspoon of chopped green chili.
• Stir and then add 2 teaspoons white sesame seeds
• Fry the sesame seeds for some seconds. But don’t brown them or they’ll become bitter.
• Next carefully add ⅓ cup of water. You can switch off the heat when adding water
• Next add 2 teaspoons of sugar.
• Stir and allow the tempering mixture to come to a boil. Make sure that the sugar is dissolved
• Remove from the heat and immediately pour this tempering mixture evenly on the khaman dhokla so that it seeps through the sliced edges
• Garnish with 2 to 3 tablespoons of chopped coriander leaves and 2 to 3 tablespoons grated coconut, if you like.