Sev Khamani is one of Gujarat’s most loved farsan recipes, known for its soft, fluffy texture and delicious sweet, tangy, and mildly spicy flavors. Traditionally, Sev Khamani is prepared using soaked chana dal, but this instant version is made with gram flour (besan), making it much quicker and easier to prepare.
In this recipe, I will show you how to make soft and spongy khaman dhokla in just 15-20 minutes using simple pantry ingredients. The steamed dhokla is grated, tossed with a flavorful tempering, and topped with fresh coriander, coconut, pomegranate, and crunchy sev for the authentic Gujarati taste. This easy and foolproof recipe is perfect for beginners and makes a delicious breakfast, evening snack, or a quick dish to serve unexpected guests. Give this instant Sev Khamani recipe a try, and enjoy a market-style Gujarati favorite at home.
The key to making instant sev khamani at home is as follows:
- Firstly, for instant Sev Khamani, I prepare soft and spongy dhokla using besan (gram flour) instead of soaked chana dal. I make the batter quickly in a mixer jar. Ensure the batter has a medium-thick, ribbon-like pouring consistency. I also add a little rava (semolina), which gives the dhokla better structure and a soft, porous (jalidar) texture.
- Dhokla for Sev Khamani tastes best when it has a slightly sweet and tangy flavor. I use lemon juice to add the required tanginess to the batter. Alternatively, you can use limbu na phool (citric acid) as a substitute.
- For soft and fluffy dhokla, add Eno fruit salt to the batter just before steaming. You can also use baking soda instead of Eno. If using baking soda, add only a small amount of turmeric, as too much turmeric may react with the soda and cause pink spots to appear in the dhokla.
- Steam the dhokla in a pressure cooker without the whistle. If you don’t have a cooker, you can use a kadai or a steamer instead. Always preheat the steamer before placing the batter inside, as this helps the dhokla become light, soft, and spongy.
- Lastly, the tempering is what gives Sev Khamani its signature taste. I add a sugar and lemon water mixture to the tempering, which gets absorbed into the grated dhokla, keeping it soft, moist, and flavorful for a longer time.
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Instant sev khamani recipe | Gujarati sev khamani | sev khamani in cooker
Ingredients
For dhokla batter
- 150 grm or 1.5 cup besan
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp sugar
- Pinch of turmeric powder
- Pinch of hing
- 2 green chilli
- 1 lemon juice
- 1 cup water
- 2 tbsp rava
- 2 tbsp oil
- 1 packet lemon flavor Eno fruit salt
For sev khamani tempering
- 3 tbsp oil
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- 1 tsp white sesame seeds
- 6-7 curry leaves
- 2 green chilli slits
- Pinch of hing
- Pinch of turmeric powder
- ½ cup water or as required
- 3 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- Some coriander leaves
- Garnish with sev - grated coconut and pomegranate seeds
Instructions
- In a mixer jar, add 1½ cups besan (gram flour), salt, ¼ tsp turmeric powder, a pinch of hing (asafoetida), 2 slit green chilies, 2 tbsp sugar, 1 tbsp lemon juice, and 1 cup water. Blend until smooth.
- Transfer the batter to a mixing bowl. Add 2 tbsp rava (semolina) and 2 tbsp oil. Mix well and whisk the batter for 2 minutes until light and smooth.
- Cover the batter and let it rest for 10 minutes.
- Add 1 packet of lemon-flavored Eno fruit salt to the batter and gently mix until well combined.
- Immediately pour the batter into a greased steel plate or steaming tray.
- Add 3–4 cups of water to a pressure cooker and place a stand in the center. Preheat the cooker for 5 minutes.
- Place the dhokla plate on the stand. Cover the cooker with the lid without the whistle and steam the dhokla over medium-high heat for 15 minutes.
- Once the dhokla is fully steamed, let it cool slightly.
- Cut the dhokla into square pieces and grate it using a large-hole grater.
- To prepare the tempering for Sev Khamani, heat 3 tbsp oil in a kadai. Add 1 tsp mustard seeds, 1 tsp white sesame seeds, 6–7 curry leaves, 2 slit green chilies, and a pinch of hing. Sauté for a few seconds until aromatic.
- Add a pinch of turmeric powder and mix well.
- In a small bowl, combine ½ cup water, 3 tbsp sugar, and 1 tbsp lemon juice. Stir until the sugar dissolves, then pour the mixture into the kadai and bring it to a boil.
- Once the mixture starts boiling, add the grated dhokla and some chopped coriander leaves. Mix gently until the dhokla absorbs the sweet and tangy syrup.
- Sev Khamani is ready. Garnish with grated fresh coconut, sev, and pomegranate seeds. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Addition of rava (semolina) gives the dhokla strength and a porous (jalidar/spongy) texture.
- After adding Eno, whisk the batter for 2 minutes until it becomes light and fluffy.
- Do not place the whistle on the pressure cooker while steaming.
- Steam the dhokla on high flame for 15 minutes.
- Grate the dhokla using a large-hole grater.
- Adding a sugar and lemon water mixture to the tempering allows it to soak into the grated dhokla, keeping the Sev Khamani soft and moist even after it cools down.