Instant Rava or Sooji Dhokla

I am a person who likes to wander in a supermarket. That gives me a chance to try out new ingredients. This week, I picked buttermilk in the dairy isle for making Rava Dhokla. Up until now, I used to make Dhokla with yogurt. But, dhokla with buttermilk turned out even better. Buttermilk is comparatively sour than yogurt, which makes instant dhokla soft and fluffy. The best part is the health benefit, buttermilk has far less fat content than yogurt. 

Ingredients:
Semolina/Sooji/Rava - 1 cup
Buttermilk/Taak/Chaas - 1 1/2 cups
Oil - 2 tbsp
Green Chili Paste - 1/2 tsp
Ginger (grated) - 1/2 tsp
Sugar - 1/2 tsp
Baking Soda - 1/2 tsp
Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp
Asafoetida/Hing - 1/4 tsp
Curry Leaves/Kadipata - a sprig
Coriander/Cilantro/Dhania Leaves - few sprigs
Salt

How to cook Instant Rava or Sooji Dhokla:

• In a mixing bowl, add semolina and 1 cup buttermilk. Mix well and see that there are no lumps. Let it rest for 5 minutes. You will notice that semolina has absorbed the buttermilk.
• Now add the remaining 1/2 cup buttermilk, green chili paste, grated ginger, salt, sugar and 1 tbsp oil. Mix well.
• When you are ready to steam the batter, add baking soda and mix the batter well. Do not over mix the batter.

• You can use a dhokla cooker, idli cooker or a pressure cooker for steaming dhokla. In case you are using a pressure cooker, remove the weight/whistle while steaming. 
• Grease a steel vessel with oil or cooking spray. When water starts boiling in the pressure cooker, pour the dhokla batter in the greased vessel. Steam the dhokla for 15 - 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the dhokla comes out clean.
• Let the steamed dhokla cool for 5 - 10 minutes. Run a knife along the edges and flip it over a plate. Cut the dhokla into squares.
• For tempering/tadka, heat 1 tbsp oil in a small pan. Add mustard seeds, asafoetida and curry leaves. When mustard seeds start popping, turn off the heat. Pour this hot tempering over the steamed dhokla. Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve Rava Dhokla with Coconut Chutney.