Stuffed Veggie Dhokla
Stuffed Dhoklas — fluffy, pillowy, and rich in protein, this is the ultimate nutritious meal that features chana dal dhoklas stuffed with a pea, coconut, cranberry stuffing! Paired with an amla green chutney that is so bright, these dhoklas are totally customizable to whatever you have on hand and a family favorite at my home!
Ingredients
Dhokla:
- 1 cup chana dal (yellow split chickpeas lentils)
- 1/4 cup water , for blending
- 2 tbsp yogurt
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp sugar , optional
- 1 inch ginger , minced
- 2 green chilies , minced
- 2 tbsp oil
- 1 tsp fruit salt (eno)
- 2 tsp lemon juice
Stuffing:
- 1/2 cup peas
- 1/4 cup shredded fresh coconut
- 1 tbsp dried cranberries , finely chopped, or use raisins
- 7 cashews , finely chopped
- 2 tbsp cilantro , minced
- 1/4 tsp salt
Amla Green Chutney:
- 1 cup cilantro , chopped
- 1/4 cup mint leaves
- 2 pieces amla (indian gooseberries) fresh or frozen, chopped
- 2 Thai green chilies , chopped
- 1 inch ginger , roughly chopped
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black salt
- 1 1/2 tsp jaggery , or sugar
- 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
- 1/4 tsp asafoetida powder (hing)
- 1 tbsp sev (bhujiya) , or thick sev
- 1/4 cup water
- lemon juice , if needed to adjust the flavor
Garnish:
- ghee
- beetroot , shredded
- radish , shredded
- carrots , shredded
- pomegranate seeds
Instructions
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Soak your chana dal for at least 3-4 hours or overnight. Drain and transfer to a blender with 1/4 cup water. Blend this into a coarse paste that is not too thick, similar to the consistency of idli batter.
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Transfer this paste to a bowl and add in yogurt. Using a spoon or your hand, whisk this vigorously for 4-5 minutes to incorporate air into the batter. Cover and let ferment on the counter overnight.
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After fermenting, mix in the salt, turmeric, sugar, ginger, green chilies, and oil. You can also add a little water at this stage to adjust the consistency.
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Sprinkle the eno on top of the batter and pour your lime juice on top to activate it. Mix this in to aerate the batter.
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For the stuffing, mix everything together.
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Grease your molds with some oil or ghee. Add a layer of your dhokla batter in the molds, followed by a small spoonful of the stuffing. Top with another layer of your batter. Steam for about 12 minutes until done.
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For the amla green chutney, simply blend everything together.
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Serve these warm with a drizzle of ghee or with a tadka made of oil, mustard seeds, asafoetida, and curry leaves. Garnish with fresh veggies and pomegranate seeds. Enjoy!