High Protein Quinoa Dhokla (Fermented Multi-Dal Batter)
Steamed Gujarati dhokla made from fermented quinoa, chana dal, masoor dal, and whole moong with methi dana. Finished with classic mustard-sesame tempering and sweet-sour water.
Equipment
- Blender
- Steamer
- Dhokla tray or shallow steel pan (8-inch)
Ingredients
For the batter (soak, grind, ferment)
- 1 cup quinoa rinsed
- 1/4 cup chana dal split Bengal gram
- 1/4 cup orange masoor dal split red lentils
- 1/4 cup whole moong whole green gram
- 1 teaspoon methi dana fenugreek seeds
- water for soaking, plus about 3/4 to 1 cup fresh water while grinding after drain
- 1-1 1/2 teaspoons fine salt stir into batter before fermenting only
Just before steaming
- 1 teaspoon ginger paste or 1 inch ginger, grated
- 1-2 green chilies finely chopped or pasted
- 1/2-1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon limbu na phool citric acid, or a tiny squeeze of lemon juice
- pinch Eno fruit salt only if needed
For the tempering (tadka)
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon white sesame seeds
- 6-8 curry leaves
- 2 green chilies slit lengthwise
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- 1-2 teaspoons lemon juice
To serve
- green chutney
- grated coconut and chopped cilantro optional garnish
Instructions
Soak the grains
- Rinse quinoa, chana dal, masoor dal, whole moong, and methi dana together. Soak in plenty of water for 6 to 8 hours (or overnight).
Grind and ferment the batter
- Drain the soaked grains well. Transfer to a blender.
- Add fresh water gradually while grinding until the batter is smooth and thick-pourable, similar to idli batter. You will need roughly 3/4 to 1 cup water total while grinding, depending on your blender.
- Pour into a large bowl. Stir in salt only. Cover loosely and ferment in a warm place for 8 to 10 hours. The batter should look slightly risen and smell mildly sour.
Season and steam
- After fermentation, stir in ginger, green chilies, sugar, and limbu na phool (or a tiny squeeze of lemon juice). Mix well. Do not add these during the ferment.
- If the batter looks flat and did not ferment much, add a pinch of Eno and fold gently once. Do not overmix.
- Grease a dhokla tray or shallow steel pan (about 8-inch) and pour in the batter to about 1/2-inch thickness.
- Preheat a steamer with water at a rolling boil. Place the tray in the steamer, cover, and steam on medium-high heat for 10 to 12 minutes until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Remove the tray and let it rest 2 to 3 minutes before cutting.
Make the tempering
- Heat oil in a small pan. Add mustard seeds. When they pop, add sesame seeds, curry leaves, and slit green chilies. Fry 10 to 15 seconds.
- Add water, sugar, and lemon juice. Bring to a boil, simmer 1 minute, then turn off the heat.
Finish and serve
- Cut the dhokla into squares or diamonds. Pour the warm tempering evenly over the top. Let it rest 10 to 15 minutes so the water soaks in and the dhokla softens further.
- Serve with green chutney. Optional garnish with coconut and cilantro.
Notes
Seasoning timeline: Salt goes into the batter before fermenting. Ginger, chili, sugar, and limbu na phool go in right before the steamer. Sweet-sour balance comes from the tempering water after steaming.
No orange masoor? Use regular masoor dal or add an extra tablespoon of chana dal. Color may be slightly paler.
Short on time? Soak at least 4 hours and ferment 4 to 6 hours in a warm spot, then use Eno. Texture will be lighter than a full ferment.
Batter thickness matters. Too thick gives dense dhokla; too thin will not hold shape. Adjust with a tablespoon of water if needed after fermenting.
Make ahead by steaming dhokla, adding tempering, and refrigerating up to 2 days. Reheat pieces in a steamer or microwave with a damp cloth over them.
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3 days. I do not recommend freezing; texture becomes crumbly after thawing.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!