Khaman Dhokla

Ingredients

• For Batter:
• Bengal Gram flour / Besan/ Chickpea flour - 250 gms (1 & 1/2 cup)
• Curd/Yogurt - 1/2 cup (not very sour)
• Water - 1/2 cup
• Cooking/Baking Soda - 1/2 tsp
• For seasoning to be mixed to the batter (to be added just before cooking)
• Oil - 1 tbsp
• Turmeric a pinch
• Green Chili paste - 1 - 2 (or as per taste)
• Sugar - 1 tsp
• Citric acid - quarter tsp (or lemon juice)
• Eno - 1 packet (green colour fruit lime) + some more for sprinkling on the plate
• (note: I dint know how much a sachet contains since I have a bottle so I assumed 1-1/4 tsp of Eno fruit salt)
• salt to taste
• For tempering
• Mustard Seeds
• Curry leaves
• Grated coconut
• Coriander leaves
• Little water + Oil to be topped on dhoklas

Method

1. Mix first 1/2 cup curds with 1/2 water.

2. To this add the besan and mix well to get a lump less batter, the consistency should be of idli batter, more of dropping not pouring consistency.

3. Slowly add more water if needed else, add the soda. Keep it aside to rise for 1 hour. If you are using a pressure cooker, fill the pan with water, place a plate over which you will have use a plate for steaming the dhoklas. Thali plate can be used for steaming. To the batter mix in the citric acid, oil, salt, sugar, green chili paste and turmeric powder. Mix well. This has to be done just before pouring to the plate.

4. Meanwhile have the pan on stove, and let the water start boiling. When the water reaches the rolling stage, you can mix the eno to the batter (Save little of eno for dusting on the plate), mix gently, you will see bubbles coming out.

5. My Notes : I dint have a thali plate which would fit my pressure cooker and those who would were too deep and narrow for making a proper Dhokla.  So I used my Baking tin which fit perfectly in my Rice Cooker and steam cooked the batter. 
Dust or sprinkle the plate with eno. Then immediately pour the batter to the plate. Place the plate carefully inside the pressure pan and cover with lid. You need not use the whistle. After covering you will find steam coming out of the outlet, simmer and don't disturb for almost 5 -7 minutes. The batter should be filled to only 1/2 as it will rise up. After adding eno the batter should not rest. Amount of sugar can be increased on preference. Dhokla can also be steamed in kadai filled with water and a plated titled over it.

6. After 5 -7 minutes, remove the lid and proof it using toothpick or knife. If the knife comes out clean and does not have any batter sticking, then its done. Cover back and let it remain on flame for 1 min and switch off the gas and allow it for 5 minutes.

7. In a bowl, mix 3 tsp of water along with a tsp of oil. Remove the plate from the pan, pour the water and oil mix over the top. For seasoning, heat a pan with oil, add curry leaves, sesame seeds, mustard seeds and finely chopped green chilies. When mustard starts popping, remove and pour over the dhokla

8. If you want perfect shaped ones and not the crumbling, cut and handle gently

9. My Notes : I cut them out, after slightly cooling them, into squares.

10. I then served them with Tamarind Chutney and Green chutney. They are good on their own too.

I have tried my best to capture the sponginess of the dhoklas. Although I thought I made enough to last me a while , guess I was wrong. It got over in 2 hours flat. No leftovers no nothing :)

Rava Laddoo

Ingredients

• Rava / Semolina - 1 cup
• Sugar - 1 cup
• Ghee - 25 gms
• Milk - 25 ml
• Cardamom powder - a pinch
• Cashew nuts - 10 whole nuts
• Raisins - 10 nos
• Grated fresh coconut - 25 gms

Method

1. Heat 2 tsp of ghee in a kadai. Once the ghee is hot enough, simmer the flame and roast cashew nuts

2. and raisins.

3. Once the raisins balloon up, remove. Then roast the grated coconut.

4. Remove once done. Keep all these aside. Add the remaining ghee and roast the Rava till its well roasted and aroma starts coming out.

5. In a bowl, take all the roasted Rava, Nuts, Coconut and add the Cardamom powder. Then add the sugar. Mix well.

6. Then slowly add the warm milk into the bowl. Check if you are able to gather as balls.

7. When you find that milk added is enough to get you laddos, transfer it back to the kadai and cook in sim for 2 mins. Mix well and then cover it and let it rest for 2 mins. Notes : For some reason I found this step unnecessary for me since it formed into perfect balls for me at the get go and even without following this step it came out super yummy. Then immediately make balls or laddoos.

8. Notes: While roasting the Rava, make sure you have the flames in sim, else there is a chance of the rava getting over roasted. Its enough to add only the required amount of milk to get you form balls. Depending on the rava and the sugar at times we may not use all the 25 gms Since we add milk, its best to consume within 5 days of making them. If you store them in fridge, you can have them for a week. The other version followed is

The rava after being roasted can be powdered using a blender. Add sugar to this and make a powder. Add a little ghee to this mixture and make small balls out of this.

Besan Rava Ladoo

Ingredients  :

• 1-1/2 cups Besan (chana flour available in Indian Stores)
• 4 tbsp Sooji / coarse Semolina for giving texture - not flour. (Optional. Instead replace with chickpea flour to make this recipe gluten free)
• 1/2 cup Ghee (clarified butter)
• 3/4th cup sugar
• 1 tsp Cardamom powder
• 4-5 tbsp almonds
• 1 tbsp raisins

1. Method - 1 (For a little more experienced cooks Chop the almonds coarsely. Set aside.

2. First warm the ghee in low heat. If it is solidified, then it will melt. Don't overheat. Warming it is enough.

3. Note: Ghee is essential to this ladoo for 2 reasons - for adding flavor and as a binding agent. In a bowl, sift the chickpea flour.

4. Note: I find that mixing the flour later after sifting is much easier and also avoids lumps. Add the semolina and the ghee.

5. Mix well until well combined.

6. Take a pan (non stick works too). Drop the mixture and keep the heat in low-medium heat. Now comes the essential part. Roasting this mixture takes anywhere from 10-15 minutes depending on the heat.

7. Note: Purpose for doing this is to get rid of the rawness of the chickpea flour. You know it is ready when your whole house is filled with sweetish aroma of the roasting chickpea flour. There won't be any change in color hence keep your nostrils vigilant and stirring actions continuous. You don't want to overheat the mixture (if you increased the heat to avoid constant stirring ;)) - the mixture will become v dry.

8. Method - 2 (For beginners / those trying this for the first time ** UPDATED ** I thought I will update the post with this too after Priya's comment reminded me of what my mother used to do. My mother instead of heating the chickpea flour,semolina and ghee mixture, would first dry roast the chickpea flour first until aromatic. Only after it wafts up that incredible sweetish aroma would she add the Ghee to it. Rest of the process is all same. Only difference is roasting the chickpea flour before hand and then following up with adding rest of the ingredients. Note: You don't have to use Semolina in this method (my mother never did) but if you are going to, then toast the semolina separately too! 
*************** Meanwhile in the same pan (where you melted/warmed ghee), toss the raisins. If there is no ghee, add a little to help the raisins plump up. Set aside.

9. In the same pan, add the almonds and toast them for 1-2 minutes. Set them aside.

10. Now Remove the Besan mixture from heat and set aside in a bowl to cool.

11. Note: When I say cool, I actually mean cool down to warm from hot. Now add the sugar,cardamom and half of almonds to this mixture.

12. Note: The chickpea flour should be warm and not cool. We require the mixture it to be warm since this warmness will help the sugar to melt a bit thereby binding the flour - enough to bind it into ladoos. Take a little of the mixture in your hands

13. Clump your hands with the mixture to tighten it.

14. Slowly using your inner palm, rotate it to make small balls.

15. Though the mixture will not look sticky enough - it will get together to form beautiful ladoos.

Depending on the shape of your ladoos - this mixture makes anywhere between 10-20 ladoos.