Prepare the steamer by bringing the water to a boil.
Meanwhile, sift the chickpea flour into a heat resistant bowl*.
140 grams chickpea flour
Add the semolina, salt, sugar, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, 1 cup water, green chilli, ginger and mix till it becomes a smooth batter (add a little more water if required).
1 tablespoon fine semolina flour, 230 milliliters water, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 medium green chilli, 1 inch ginger
When the water is boiling in the steamer, add the baking soda and lemon juice to the mixture.
¾ teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon lemon juice
Mix and immediately pour into a greased 8-inch pan. Place the dish in the steamer immediately. Cover and steam for 15 minutes.
Check that the dhokla is cooked through by inserting a clean knife through it and if it comes out clean, it is ready. If not, steam for another 2-3 minutes.
Remove from the steamer, pour the 3 tablespoons water over the dhokla and set aside to prepare the tempering.
3 tablespoons water
To make the tempering
In a small saucepan, heat the oil on medium heat and add the mustard seeds. Once they start to crackle, add the curry leaves, asafoetida and green chilli and fry for 30 seconds.
1 tablespoon oil, 1 teaspoon mustard seeds, 3 curry leaves, 1 medium green chilli, ⅛ teaspoon asafoetida
Pour and spread over the dhokla. Garnish with chopped coriander.
1 tablespoon fresh coriander/cilantro
Cut the dhokla into squares and serve warm with a coriander chutney.
Notes
*Use a heat resistant bowl that fits in the steamer.To make it gluten free, leave out the semolina.When preparing the mixture, the amount of water required depends of the quality of your chickpea flour, so add enough to make a smooth batter.Important: The water should have started boiling in the steamer when adding the baking soda and lemon juice to the batter, as the mixture must to be cooked straight away.The mixture will rise during steaming so do not fill the dish/pan to the rim.
Storing
Slice into squares and keep in a sealed container in a cool place or in the fridge.If they become a little dry, sprinkle a tiny bit of water over the top then cover and place in the microwave for around 15 seconds.