SPROUTED MOONG & PALAK DHOKLA

SPROUTED MOONG & PALAK DHOKLA


Dhokla, as you know, is a popular snack or farsan as they call it in Gujarat. Having lived in that state for some time, I developed a taste for Gujarati food. Elsewhere this blog, you will find recipes for Rava Dhokla, Khaman Dhokla, and Bhindi Sambhariya.

Today's recipe for dhokla makes use of two healthy ingredients: sprouted moong and spinach. The addition of spinach gives it a distinctive colour. It is best served with green coriander chutney. I have adapted this recipe from Sprouts Dhokla from the legendary Tarlaji Dalal.

Ingredients:-

• Sprouted Moong (Sprouted Green Gram), 1 cup
• Spinach ( Palak), roughly chopped, 1/2 cup
• Green Chillies, roughly chopped, 3
• Besan ( Bengal Gram Flour)  2 tbsp
• Salt, to taste
• Eno Fruit Salt, 1 tsp
• Oil, for greasing the thali 

For Tempering :-

• Oil, 1 tbsp
• Sesame Seeds, (Til), 1 tsp
• Asafoetida Powder (Hing), 1/4 tsp
• Curry Leaves (Kari Patta), 6-8
• Green Chillies, slit, 2

Preparation :

Since Sprouted Moong is an integral ingredient in this dish, here's how you would sprout the moong in advance. Soak the moong overnight for 8-10 hours. Drain the water fully the next day, wash and tie the moong beans in a wet muslin cloth and keep it to sprout. You will find them fully sprouted as in the picture below after a day or so.

                                                          Sprouted Moong 

Method: 

Grease a thali and keep it ready to make the dhokla
In a mixer jar, grind together the sprouted moong, chopped spinach and roughly chopped green chillies, using very little water, to a smooth paste.

Transfer the ground paste to a bowl and add salt, and besan along with 1/4 cup of water.
Mix well to ensure that there are no lumps and that the batter is of pouring consistency but not too dilute.

On the batter add 1 tsp of Eno Fruit Salt and 2 tsp of water and mix gently when bubbles begin to form
Next, pour the batter into the thali which you have greased and spread the batter evenly
Add water to the steamer and keep it ready for steaming on a low flame
Keep the thali in a steamer and steam it for about for 10-12 minutes or till the dhoklas are cooked

To make the tempering:
Heat oil in a tadka pan and on medium flame add the sesame seeds. When they sizzle add the  asafoetida, curry leaves and slit green chillies. Saute for a few seconds

Lastly, pour this tempering over the dhokla and spread it evenly
Allow the dhokla to cool slightly and cut it into equal diamond shaped pieces

Serve immediately with green chutney