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Dhokla is a perfect example of a steamed snack that competes favourably with its fried counterparts and tickles the tastebuds, writes Pushpesh Pant
Some like it hot, they say, but then there are others who prefer it steamed. The tribe of the health-conscious, who avoid the fried stuff like plague, is increasing with each passing day and steamed foods are gaining in popularity. Anyone who has even nodding acquaintance with Chinese cuisine knows the honourable place reserved for the dim sums — steamed dumplings with assorted fillings, chicken, seafood, red meats and vegetables. Ordered often as starters in preference to spring rolls and the Drums of Heaven, they arrive in quaint bamboo baskets. They can be managed with chopsticks easily even by novices and create the right exotic atmosphere for the rest of the meal even if what follows is sweet and sour and American Chop Suey. In places like Hong Kong, you can treat yourself to a complete meal composed of dim sums. The momo is a close cousin of the dim sum and has seduced many more in recent years by offering a no-frills steamed delight equally light on the stomach and the pocket. Steaming though used widely in our country is often treated like the proverbial Cinderella. The Bengalis take justifiable pride in bhappe illich — the sublime hilsa steamed and served with just the incomparable mustard. Not content with this, they have also fashioned a sweet dish — bhappe doi—which can hold its own against any steamed pudding anywhere. This writer has savoured an unimaginably light version of gatte in Udaipur, courtesy his friend Sri Abhimanyu Singh. This dish was steamed before it was poached in yogurt curry. And, in Banaras it was the fabulous aleek matsya that mimics so well the fish in the leaf — the patrani macchi of the Parsis. In South, the idli is almost a staple, and in Gujarat the dhokla reigns supreme. No great paraphernalia is required to dish out perfectly steamed delicacies — the good old pressure cooker can easily double up as a wonderful steamer. If you are not fussy than the familiar (in the south) idli stand is dispensable too. Once you have mastered the technique and your confidence level rises, go ahead and try out the fancy puddings and fish dishes. Dhokla can be a healthy alternative to monotonous cereals or sprouts. It can chip in as a teatime snack or can even be placed as a side dish at mealtimes. |
