Khaman
Author: 
Cuisine: Indian (Gujarati Thali)
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 4
 
This Gujarati dish can be found all over Gujarat in shops called khaman house or farsan (savory) mart. It is eaten as a snack or with a meal as a farsan on special occasions.
Ingredients
  • 2 cups besan (chickpea flour)
  • 1 cup yogurt (not Greek)
  • 1 cup warm water
  • 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
  • ½ teaspoon turmeric
  • 1 teaspoon minced jalapeno or serrano chili
  • 1 teaspoon minced ginger
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 tablespoon grated fresh coconut, for garnish
  • 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro, for garnish
For tempering (Vaghar):
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
  • 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
  • ¼ teaspoon asafetida
  • 1 jalapeno or serrano chili, sliced
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1 tablespoon water
Directions
  1. Whisk together besan, yogurt and warm water in a medium mixing bowl until smooth batter. Cover the bowl with a plate and let it ferment for 4 to 5 hours.
  2. Once batter is fermented, add turmeric, salt, chili and ginger to batter and stir to combine.
  3. Grease two metal pie dishes with oil or nonstick cooking spray. Start heating steamer on medium high heat.
  4. Whisk lemon juice, oil and baking soda in a small mixing bowl. Whisk vigorously to emulsify oil and lemon juice and to aerate. Immediately add to fermented batter and whisk vigorously.
  5. Pour batter into pie dishes and steam it for 10 to 12 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Remove from steamer and cut into squares. Keep it in pie dishes.
  6. While khaman are steaming, prepare vaghar. Combine sugar and water in a small mixing bowl until sugar dissolves. Set aside. In a small heavy bottomed sauce pan heat oil on medium high heat until shimmering. Add mustard seeds and let them sizzle. Lower heat to medium. Add asafetida and let it cook for 10 seconds. Add sesame seeds and chili. Let chili cook for 1 minute. Pour sugar water into vaghar. Take off heat.
  7. Pour ½ of vaghar on one pie dish and other ½ on second pie dish. Transfer khaman from pie dish to serving bowl. Stir gently to evenly coat vaghar. Garnish with coconut and cilantro. Serve immediately.
Notes
You can also make this recipe from ready to make packets available in Indian grocery stores.
Recipe by Lovely Masala at http://www.lovelymasala.com/khaman/