Khaman is the bright yellow, sponge-soft gram flour cake that most people outside Gujarat call dhokla. In Ahmedabad and Surat the distinction is clear: dhokla is fermented rice batter, khaman is besan raised with citric acid and soda. Farsan shops sell it by weight every morning, along with nylon khaman, an even lighter version.
Good khaman is airy and moist, with an open crumb that drinks up the tempering. That final pour of water, sugar, lemon and tempered mustard seeds is what makes it sweet, sour and juicy rather than dry. It should spring back when pressed and leave the plate slightly wet. Lemon and sugar should both be clearly present.
It is eaten at breakfast, packed in tiffins and served to guests at any hour, usually with a sweet-hot green chutney and fried green chillies. Because it takes so little time, it is a common answer when visitors arrive unannounced in a Gujarati home. Leftover pieces stay soft for a day if kept covered at room temperature, and they are often packed for school lunch boxes.
At a glance
| Region | Gujarat |
|---|---|
| Cuisine | Gujarati |
| Diet | Vegan |
| Course | Snack |
| Prep time | 10 minutes |
| Cook time | 25 minutes |
| Total time | 35 minutes |
| Serves | 4 |
| Spice level | Mild |
| Difficulty | Easy |
| Gluten-free | Yes |
| Key ingredients | besan / lemon / sugar / mustard seeds |
Ingredients
For the batter
- 1 1/2 cups (150 g) fine besan
- 1 tbsp semolina (optional, for structure)
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp citric acid or 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp ginger-green chilli paste
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp turmeric
- 1 tbsp oil
- About 3/4 cup water
- 1 1/2 tsp Eno fruit salt
For the tempering
- 2 tbsp oil
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- 1 tsp sesame seeds
- A pinch of asafoetida
- 3 green chillies, slit
- 10 curry leaves
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp grated fresh coconut and chopped coriander
Method
- Put 2 inches of water in a steamer or large pan with a stand and bring it to a rolling boil on high heat. Grease an 8-inch tin.
- Sift the besan into a bowl. Add semolina, sugar, citric acid, ginger-chilli paste, salt, turmeric and oil. Whisk in water gradually to a smooth batter that flows like pancake batter, then whisk for 2 minutes more.
- Add Eno, pour 1 tsp water over it and whisk briskly in one direction for 10 seconds. The batter will double and turn pale. Pour immediately into the tin.
- Steam covered on high for 15-18 minutes without opening the lid for the first 12. A skewer in the centre should come out clean.
- Rest the khaman for 5 minutes, then run a knife round the edge and cut into squares while still in the tin.
- For the tempering, heat oil, crackle mustard seeds, add sesame, asafoetida, chillies and curry leaves for 20 seconds. Carefully add the water and sugar and boil for 1 minute until the sugar dissolves. Turn off and add lemon juice.
- Spoon the hot tempering evenly over the warm khaman so it soaks in. Garnish with coconut and coriander.
Tips
- Old besan or a batter left standing after adding Eno gives dense khaman. Work quickly once the Eno goes in.
- If the top turns reddish, there is too much soda for the acid; add a little more lemon next time.
- Pour the tempering while the khaman is still warm so it absorbs fully.
Serve with
Green chutney, fried salted green chillies and a cup of tea.