Khaman dhokla chaat takes yesterday’s leftover humble dhokla to a whole new level. It is a delightful explosion of flavors and textures, making it an excellent choice for those who love street food.

If you are a lover of street food, India is the place to be. Outrageously delicious snacks, of which there are countless, beckon from every corner.  One of them is dhokra/ dhokla, an irresistible Gujarati snack that is essentially a fluffy, steamed savory bread or cake. The aromatic squares are piled high, sprinkled with a tempering of sesame seeds, mustard seeds, curry leaves, cilantro leaves and grated coconut. 

In a typical Gujarati home such as mine was, there was a strong belief that prohibited food waste of any sort, therefore ultimately leftovers always got a makeover. 

To make dhokla chaat, warm leftover dhokras for a few minutes or re-steam, then cut them into bite-sized pieces and transfer them to a serving plate. Sprinkle some sev (fried gram flour noodles) for the crunch, drizzle sweet and sour tamarind chutney, and a spicy green chutney (chili and cilantro chutney) then lashings of sweetened yogurt. Finish it off with a sprinkle of sharp red onions and, fluffy chopped cilantro leaves, and if you are feeling fancy some pomegranate arils.

The result is a beautiful, colorful plate of dhokla chaat, a feast for your eyes and downright delicious. The soft and spongy dhokla provides a perfect base for the toppings, soaking up all the flavors. Each bite is a burst of flavors – the cool tanginess from the sweetened yogurt, the crunchiness from the sev, and the sweet, sour, and spicy spikes of the tamarind and green chutneys.

Immediately after your first spoonful of dhokla chaat, you’re going to want more, and more still. So, next time you have left over dhokra – try out this for a change.

Ingredients:

• 6-8  pieces khaman dhokla
• 2 cups yogurt- whipped with some water 
• 2 tablespoons white sugar
• 1 cup very fine nylon sev ( Garvi Gujarat – Bhel Sev)
• 1/2 cup red onion finely chopped
•  tamarind/imli chutney
• Green chutney (cilantro and green chili chutney)
• 1/2 teaspoon dry roasted and crushed cumin seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon red chilli powder
• 1/2 bunch cilantro finely chopped
• 4 tablespoons pomegranate arils (I did not use them)

Method:

• Whisk yogurt with sugar and a couple of tablespoons of water. Sprinkle with roasted crushed cumin powder and red chill powder. Keep the yogurt aside.
• Finely dice onions and chop cilantro
• Use store bought or homemade tamarind and green chutneys
• Arrange the dhokla cubes on a platter
• Drizzle the yogurt mixture on the top
• Drizzle green chutney and sweet tamarind chutney
• Sprinkle nylon sev on top
• Add some chopped onions, and cilantro
• Top with pomegranate arils.

I’ve been freestyling on this recipe for a while now, taking it in the direction of a no-recipe recipe, watch me put this together here: