A modern take on the classic Muthiya Dhokla, usually steamed. This is made in small oblong balls and filled with a mild-tasting, highly melting cheese. Coated in panko bread crumbs to make these extra crispy! Perfect with chai, or as part of a special meal! Make these for your family and they'll won't be able to resist!
Ingredients
1/2 bottle gourd, Doodhi/Lauki
1 carrot
1 x onions
Spices:
2 tsp ginger, crushed
1 tsp birds eye chilli
2 tsp garlic, crushed
1 tsp Kashmiri chili powder
1.5 cups cooked Basmati rice, ideally cooked the day before.
1 cup wholewheat flour
1/4 cup gram flour
1/4 cup rice flour
2 tbsp corn flour
1 tbsp oil
1 tsp Eno or baking soda/soda bicarb
Salt to taste
Sugar to taste
2 tsp lemon juice
Water only if needed.
Panko breadcrumbs.
Oil for frying.
Optional:
Raclette cheese or vegan cheese to make these vegan.
Preparation
1. Peel the doodhi and carrots and remove the skins off the onions and in a food processor or magimix, using the small grater function, grate all the vegetables.
2. Using a muslin or simply with the use of your hands, squeeze out all the water from the grated veggies and separate the water and keep this aside.
3. Now, in a large mixing bowl, add the shredded vegetables, the rice, all the flours, all the wet and dry spices, lemon juice and oil and mix well between your fingers.
4. Mix carefully, not too much, slowly adding the Eno or soda as you go. Fold using a spatula if possible. The more we mix, the more water will be realised and will be tough to fry! If the mixture isn’t coming together, add a teaspoon of the vegetable water, but not too much. The mixture shouldn’t be too dry or too wet, just right to be rolled between your hands and so it holds together.
5. Once the mixture is well incorporated, place it on the side and get a plate ready with panko breadcrumbs and a tray lined with greaseproof paper. And if using, get the cheese ready, cut in small rectangular shapes.
In a deep frying pan, fill with oil, if you have someone helping, one person can fry and one can roll, or you can roll ahead and then fry if you’re cooking alone.
6. Oil your palms and take a small golfball size amount of the mixture and place on your palm, flatten and place a piece of cheese in the middle, and then fold over the rest of the mixture, making sure the mixture is well coated by the muthiya dough.
7. Now carefully place on the breadcrumbs and roll around, covering all sides well.
8. Once you have them ready, deep fry on medium high heat. The muthiya dhokla should slowly become brown, and crispy on the outside. Crack one open to check the mixture is well cooked through.
9. Once ready, serve with lasan ni chutney (garlic chutney), vagharelu dahi (tempered yoghurt) or aioli (we prefer vegan aioli) and enjoy hot!
Having Problems?
If you feel it isn’t cooking through, lower your heat just slightly. But careful the heat is not too low, these will split.
The dhokla should slightly puff up when fried, but if this doesn’t happen, add a little more soda or Eno to the mixture.
Did your mixture get too wet? Add a little more wholewheat, gram and rice flour.
