Our very own @AjitThite sir has started this challenge for Local Guides Khaana Khazaana! – A Flavorful Challenge Series for Local Guides #khaanakhazaana which inspired Me to share my own Kitchen stories.
Background: I have never been a kitchen person. My work never allowed Me enough time to be there to cook some memories with lots of sweetness (as Gujjus are famous for their meetha khana)and little bit of spices so I was never confident about being in kitchen and cook something whose taste people can remember for like years 
I never thought people would talk good things about my food too hahaha but here I am creating histories (in eyes of my maternal family as they too have never thought that I could cook ) I started cooking after my marriage, sharing few of my dishes which I made, these are close to my heart because I wake up around 6:30am to prepare it for my husband <3 who was even shocked seeing Me in kitchen that too this early and the biggest surprise to all(including Me) every dishes turned out to be very delicious and became the talk of my husband’s office his employees now wait for his tiffin Which is still a happy shock to Me. I never knew I had it in Me
P.S. It’s been just 9 months; I have started cooking.
My entry to this series: Dhokla
From street of Gujarat to USA, UK, Canada to Bollywood movies having Gujaratis in it will have Dhokla too. It’s worldwide famous, wherever you find Gujaratis in the world you can easily find Dhokla there. It is a pride of Gujarat. It’s a source of protein and easy to make.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup Bengal gram flour
- 1 tbsp Sugar
- 1 tbsp Oil
- 1 tsp Ginger paste
- 1 tsp green chili paste
- 1 tbsp Lemon juice
- 180 ml water, or as required to make a batter
- 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
- Salt to taste
- 1 tsp Baking Soda
Cooking Method:
- In a mixing bowl take the besan. Add the sugar, oil, ginger-chili paste, lemon juice, turmeric powder, salt and mix well.
- Add in the water slowly to form a pouring batter, without lumps.
- Keep this batter aside for 10 minutes.
- Grease the vessel in you want to steam it
- Steam in a pressure cooker without whistle or Idli maker can be used too
- Keep the cooker on flame with water in its bottom for steaming ready.
- Add the Eno fruit salt in the batter and mix well. It will become frothy.
- Now from here you need to act fast. Pour the batter in the greased vessel/plate and keep it in the pressure cooker and close the lid without the whistle.
- Steam it for 10-15 minutes maximum without putting on the whistle on a medium flame.
- When done off the flame and remove the vessel out and leave to cool for 5 minutes.
- Invert it on a plate and cut into squares.
- Make the tempering. Heat oil. When the oil is hot enough add the mustard seeds and wait till, they splutter.
- Off the flame. Add the Asafetida and curry leaves and keep aside to cool.
- Put the cooled tempering on the ready dhokla
This is Gujarat’s very famous Dhokla made with Gram flour, protein packed food.
I tried to cook healthy Frankie using wheat flour and salad with minimum readymade sauces.
One more protein packed lunch box with Sautéed paneer, Mexican rice and Soya salad
And my most favorite South Indian food <3 healthy and easy to digest. I gave a twist to sambhar. I didn’t use lentil, instead I prepared it with gram flour.
Cheese Corn Capsicum Sandwiches, I sautéed Corn, Capsicum, Onion in very less oil, sprinkled Chilli flax, Oregano, Salt and Black pepper, applied it on bread with grated cheese, covered it with another bread and grilled it.
As a Rajkotian, you should invite me some day for the same 
The story behind it makes it even more special 
. Thank you for inspiring us with your creativity and passion for cooking 
. It’s truly mouthwatering! 
