Instant Oats Dhokla

Ingredients

• 1 cup (90 g) rolled or quick oats
• ½ cup (85 g) fine semolina (rava)
• ¾ cup (184 g) slightly sour curd
• ¾ cup (180 ml) water, plus 2 to 4 tbsp to adjust
• 2 tsp ginger-green chilli paste (10 g)
• 1 tsp (5 ml) lemon juice
• Salt, ¾ tsp
• 1 tsp (5 g) Eno fruit salt
• For the tadka: 1 tbsp (14 ml) oil
• 1 tsp mustard seeds, a pinch of hing
• 1 tsp (3 g) white sesame seeds
• 10 curry leaves
• 2 green chillies (10 g), slit
• 1 tsp (4 g) sugar, for the tadka
• 3 tbsp (45 ml) water, for the tadka
• 2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
• 1 tbsp (5 g) grated fresh coconut, optional

Method

1. 1Grind the oats and semolina together in a dry mixer jar to a fine, powdery flour. Tip into a bowl.
2. 2Add the curd, ginger-chilli paste, lemon juice and salt, then pour in ¾ cup water and whisk until smooth with no lumps. Cover and rest 10 to 15 minutes.
3. 3Start your steamer or a wide pot with 2 cups water and a stand inside, and bring it to a rolling boil. Grease a 20 cm round tin or thali with a few drops of oil.
4. 4Check the rested batter. It will have thickened; whisk in water a spoon at a time until it is like idli batter, flowing off the spoon in a thick ribbon.
5. 5Only when the steamer is boiling, add the Eno and 1 tsp water on top of it, then stir gently in one direction for a few seconds until the batter turns pale and foamy. Pour straight into the tin.
6. 6Steam on medium-high heat, covered, for 15 to 17 minutes until the top springs back and a toothpick in the centre comes out clean. Lift out and cool 10 minutes before cutting into squares.
7. 7For the tadka, heat the oil in a small pan on medium. Add mustard seeds; when they crackle, add hing, sesame seeds, curry leaves and green chillies for 15 seconds. Stir the sugar into the 3 tbsp water, pour it into the pan, let it boil once, and spoon evenly over the dhokla. Finish with coriander and coconut.