Good Bite Appetizers: Dhoklas

I know, you don't have to say it. I studied at a Catholic school for crying out loud. Guilt is part of my being. Yes, I disappeared for a couple of weeks. Yes, I ignored the blog, sorry. No excuses, I just did. Anyway, hope you've been well. How's the holiday season treating you? For me, I've decided, gifts will be handmade (mostly), cards, handmade and food homemade for this year. Why? I ask, why not? I remember when we were kids how excited we'd be if we went out to a restaurant. It was because it wasn't a regular thing, it was a treat. Now we either don't have time, or it's easier to buy food from outside. In fact, I think children would balk if they found out their birthday cakes didn't come from Costco! Anyway, that's the reason why I thought, let's go back to how we started. When did I last receive a holiday card (and no, holiday letters don't count), that someone made especially for me? Hmmmm.
     Meanwhile, re: food, I got an email from Good Bite . It's a neat little website on food, conversation and recipes, asking me to contribute some Indian recipes. That was such a challenge that I was in a fear-coma for weeks--what Indian recipes? Why? Which is better? What if they hate it? If you get to their site you'll see beautifully photographed food, easy recipes, and fun conversations. So here's my contribution.
   What I decided today was to talk appetizers. Invaribly, people are busy during this time, wrapping gifts, buying expensive stuff, meeting at expensive restaurants, but what if, what if we made appetizers at home? Lots and lots of them? So, here's the plan--for the next few days till the new year, I'll post a few recipes, all appetizers that if you eat a lot of, it's a meal! But if you eat just a bit, then you just might be one of the few who doesn't gain multiple lbs around the holidays, how's that? Oh, and I'll post a few desserts too--why not, it's the holidays!
    So, today's is Dhoklas from Gujarat. I learnt this from my cousin's wife, Shakuntala Boudi, who was Gujarati, but learnt to cook the best Bangla food ever. I've twisted it some, so it's more spicy than what people are used to, but you can tone it down based on what you can handle.
Ingredients
1 cup besan (बेसन), garbanzo bean flour
1 and a 1/2 tsp semolina (or cream of wheat)
1 tsp sugar
2 and a 1/2 tsp green chili-ginger paste
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp red chili powder
salt to taste
1 and 1/2 tsp Eno's fruit salt (or 1 tsp baking powder, and 1/2 tsp baking soda)
For tempering
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1/2 tsp sesame seeds
2 slit lengthwise, green chilies
1/4 tsp asafoetida (hing, हिंग)
1 tbsp oil
2 tbsp coriander leaves, chopped
Recipe:

• Mix the ingredients, minus Eno's fruit salt, with minimal water. It should be a thick paste.
• Add the fruit salt, sprinkle a few drops of water and mix well (instantly, as it starts to froth).
• Pour the mixture into a greased steel bowl, and steam in a pressure cooker for 10 minutes.
• Remove the dhoklas from the bowl and place on a plate to cool.
• Heat the oil and add the green chilies, hing, sesame and mustard seeds. Stir as the seeds pop.
• Add the this mixture on top of the dhoklas.
• Garnish with coriander leaves.
• Cut into squares (dhoklas, not yourself!).
• Serve with tamarind and coriander chutneys.

     I like to serve dhoklas with chutney. But Gujaratis, I'm sure, would be dismayed to hear that. Usually it's served with rasa, or a liquid soak of the dhoklas, so it's moist. You can do that too if you want. I find that a little too sweet (the rasa has jaggery, and tamarind along with chilies and turmeric, which makes it more sweet than savory) for my taste, but you could modify that if you want, or if you like sweet, just follow any Tarla Dalal recipe.
    And all you need with this (in my opinion), is a good hot cup of tea!
     More recipes to follow, enjoy!