Idada - It's actually a Dhokla!

We had an impromptu plan for a tea party with new family that has moved from Chennai to our city. Their little girl is in Gudiya's class. Gudiya was very eager to invite her new friend. We thought it would be a nice play date for the girls while we would get a chance to meet the parents.

I had soaked urad daal and rice that morning for making idli. I thought about making Idada - Dhokla without fermentation for the tea party. I, of course made tea and also served other readymade items like milk cake, some cookies and spicy mix. Our new friend got a Tamilian delicacy - banana blossom vadas. They were delicious.


Idada
Steamed Dumpling From Gujarat
Ingredients
1 cup Urad Daal
2 cups rice

2"Ginger, peeled/roughly chopped
3-4 green chilies

salt to taste

Whisk
1/4 cup yogurt
1 tbsp. oil
1 1/2 tsp baking soda

Tempering
2 tbsp. oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
2 tsp sesame seeds
A generous pinch of Asafoetida

Garnish
1/4 cup minced cilantro

Method
1. Soak urad daal and rice for about 5-6 hours.
2. Drain and grind using minimal water. Add ginger and green chilies and make a smooth batter. Mix salt.

 

3. Whisk yogurt, oil and baking soda. Add to the batter.

4. Add water as needed to resemble Idli or dhokla batter.

5. Grease the containers of dhokla maker.

6. Distribute the batter equally among about 4 plates.

7. Sprinkle freshly crushed black pepper.

8. Steam for 15-20 minutes.

9. Take off from the pressure cooker. Let it cool down for 5-10 minutes.

10. Cut into squares or diamonds.

11. Sprinkle minced cilantro.

12. Heat oil in a saucepan. Add mustard seeds, asafetida and sesame seeds. Take care as sesame seeds splutter.

13. Take off the gas. Wait for few seconds. Add 1/4 cup water.

14. Pour over the dhokla pieces.

15. Serve warm dhokla with chutney of your choice.

Note -
1. If you like spicy snack, add minced chilies in the tempered oil before drizzling over the dhokla.
2. Instead of black pepper powder, you could also sprinkle, red chili powder or Gujarati Pickle Powder - Sambhar powder.
3. Although the ingredients are almost similar, Idada is different compared to Khata Dhokla. One of the major differences is that Khata dhokla needs fermentation.
4. Never put pressure while steaming dhoklas.

 

 

Our Tea Party

Milk Cake, Cookies and Hot Spicy Mix for the Tea Party

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