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Farari dhokla
Fasting dhokla with sago
ફરાળી ઢોકળા: fasting-day dhokla of ground samo and sago with yogurt, ginger and chilli, tempered with cumin
On Ekadashi, Shravan Mondays and Navratri fasts, Gujarati homes swap the usual rice and dal dhokla for this farari version made from samo (barnyard millet) and sabudana. Both are ground to a coarse flour, soaked briefly in sour yogurt and steamed into soft, slightly chewy squares with a nutty flavour, finished with a cumin and green chilli tempering. Rock salt replaces table salt and there is no turmeric or hing, as many fasting households avoid them. The common mistake is steaming straight after mixing: the samo needs at least 30 minutes to drink up the yogurt, or the dhokla turns gritty. Chef's tip: grind the sago to a fine powder first, then add the samo, so no hard pearls survive.
- Total time
- 35 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the batter
- 1 ¾ oz sabudana (sago pearls)
- 5 ½ oz samo (barnyard millet)
- 7 oz sour plain yogurt
- ¼ cup wateras needed
- 1 tsp sendha namak (rock salt)
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tbsp groundnut oilplus extra for the tin
- ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
For the tempering
- 1 ½ tbsp groundnut oil
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 2 green chilliesslit
- 2 tbsp fresh coriander (optional)chopped
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Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Grind 1 ¾ oz sabudana (sago pearls) to a fine powder in a dry grinder, then add 5 ½ oz samo (barnyard millet) and grind to a fine semolina-like flour.
3 minStep 2: Whisk in 7 oz sour plain yogurt and enough ¼ cup water to make a thick batter, like idli batter. Cover and rest for 30 minutes so the millet softens.
30 minStep 3: Bring 5 cm of water to a boil in a steamer and grease a 20 cm tin with oil.
5 minStep 4: Stir 2 tsp ginger-green chilli paste, 1 tsp sendha namak (rock salt), 1 tsp sugar and 1 tbsp groundnut oil into the rested batter. It should still drop thickly from a spoon; add a spoonful of water if it has stiffened.
2 minStep 5: Sprinkle over ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda with a teaspoon of water and mix briskly until the batter lightens and looks spongy. Pour into the tin at once.
1 minStep 6: Steam covered over high heat until the top springs back and a knife comes out clean. Rest 5 minutes, then cut into squares.
15 minStep 7: Heat 1 ½ tbsp groundnut oil in a small pan, add 1 tsp cumin seeds and let it sizzle and darken a shade, then add 2 green chillies for a few seconds.
1 minStep 8: Pour the tempering over the squares, scatter with 2 tbsp fresh coriander and serve warm with farari peanut chutney.
1 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 250 kcal
- Protein
- 7 g
- Carbs
- 37 g
- Fat
- 8 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does farari dhokla take?
- About 35 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of sour plain yogurt?
- Sour cream or buttermilk, same amount.
- What can I use instead of sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
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Perfect for:Navratri & Durga Puja