Moong Dal Dhokla Bites with Strawberry Chili Compote, Chimichurri Sauce and Herbed Yogurt – Jazz up this humble Indian classic with some homemade accompaniments and toppings for a festive Christmas appetizer!
HOW TO ASSEMBLE MOONG DAL DHOKLA BITES:
Moong Dal Dhokla Bites with Strawberry Chili Compote, Chimichurri Sauce, and Herbed Yogurt - Jazz up this humble Indian classic with some homemade accompaniments and toppings for a festive Christmas appetizer!
- 1 cup yellow moong dal (petite split yellow lentils)
- 2 green chilies , roughly chopped
- 1 inch ginger , roughly chopped
- water , as needed for grinding
- 2 tbsp yogurt , thick
- 1 tbsp besan (gram or chickpea flour)
- 1 1/2 tsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 2 tsp oil , hot plus more for greasing
- 1 tsp fruit salt (eno)
- salt , to taste
- 1 1/2 tsp oil
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- pinch asafoetida powder (hing)
- 2 green chilies , slit
- 6 curry leaves , torn in half
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/2 tsp sugar
- pinch salt
- 1 cups strawberries , washed and finely chopped
- 2 1/2 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp lemon zest
- 1/2 tsp red chili flakes
- pinch salt
- 1/2 tsp corn starch
- 2 tbsp water
- 1/4 cup hung curd or greek yogurt
- 1 tbsp cream cheese
- 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp italian seasoning
- garlic salt , to taste
- 1/4 cup cilantro , roughly chopped
- 1/4 cup parsley , roughly chopped
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp oregano
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2-3 pcs cashews
- 2 tsp red wine vinegar or normal vinegar
- 1 tsp red chili flakes
- salt , to taste
- pomegranate seeds
- feta cheese
- pumpkin seeds
- pistachio , slivered
- olives , finely chopped
- red chili flakes , if needed
- microgreens
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Wash the moong dal under cold water a few times. Then, soak it in warm water for an hour. Once soaked, drain the water.
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Transfer the soaked dal to a blender and grind with green chilies and ginger. Slowly add water as needed to get the desired consistency. The dhokla batter should be thick and smooth.
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Transfer the paste to a bowl and add in yogurt, besan, sugar, turmeric powder, hot oil, and lemon juice. Mix well for 5 minutes to aerate the batter.
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Preheat your steamer.
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When your steamer is hot and you are ready to steam the dhoklas, add in salt and fruit salt and mix gently.
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Pour the batter into the greased steamer tray.
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Steam the dhoklas in the steamer for 12 minutes on high flame or until the dhokla is cooked.
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While the dhoklas are steaming, we will make the temper. Heat oil in a small pan, add in mustard seeds and asafoetida powder (hing). When they start crackling, add in the green chilies and curry leaves and saute. Then, add in water, sugar and salt. Boil for 1 to 2 minutes and switch off the gas. Keep it aside for 10 minutes.
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Once the temper cools down, strain it into a bowl.
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Now, slowly spread the temper evenly on the dhoklas,1 tbsp at a time. Make sure that the dhoklas don't get soggy. Use only as much temper as needed to cover entire dhokla. Keep them aside for 15 minutes.
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Now, cut the dhoklas into your desired shape. I used a cookie cutter to cut them in round shapes.
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In a small pan on medium flame, add in the strawberries, sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, red chili flakes, salt and 2 tbsp water. Bring it to a boil. Then, reduce the heat to low and simmer until the strawberries become soft and the liquid starts to thicken.
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Add in 1/2 tsp corn starch mixed with 2 tsp of water to the compote. Bring it to a boil and turn off the heat. Your Strawberry Chili Compote is ready!
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Mix together all of the ingredients.
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In a food processor or blender, add in all of the ingredients. Pulse several times, stopping and scraping down the sides frequently, until the mixture is finely minced. Don't blend it too much as we want some body and texture to the chimichurri. If it gets too dry, add some oil to it slowly, 1/4 tsp at a time. Your Chimichurri Sauce is ready! You can store this in a fridge for up to a week.
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To serve, warm the dhoklas and then add on the accompaniments and garnishes as you wish! I like to spread on a dollop of one of the sauces (strawberry chili compote, chimichurri sauce or herbed yogurt) and sprinkle on some of the toppings.
Recipe Video
- You can make everything a day before your party. Just assemble them when you are ready to serve.
- The dhoklas can be warmed on a non-stick pan or in a microwave.
- If you are using instant dhokla mix, prepare the dhoklas according to package instructions and then follow the recipe instructions from tempering step #8 onwards.
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