Khaman

I am back to the kitchen after a loooooooooooooong time, with Khaman. This is a Gujarati dish, one of my favourites. The recipe has been altered a bit, so as to suit my taste and to make it healthier. Here goes:

Ingredients (for 2 people)

1) 1 cup besan

2) Salt to taste

3) Sugar to taste

4) Curd

5) Juice of 1 lemon

6) 2 teaspoons Eno fruit salt (plain)

7) Coriander leaves to garnish, chopped

8) A bit of oil

7) Green chillies, chopped, to garnish

8) Hing

9) Mustard seeds

Method:

1) Take the besan in a large bowl and add salt and sugar to taste. Add the curd and lemon juice. Add the Eno fruit salt and mix well to make a paste, a bit thicker in consistency than Bajji batter. The paste should taste slightly sour and sweet (pulippu and thidippu konjam thookal). If necessary, add more lemon juice and curd and sugar.

2) Whisk the paste with hands to make it slightly fluffy. Keep it aside for about 1/2 hour.

3) After 1/2 hour, grease a deep steel plate and pour this paste into it evenly. Steam in cooker for about 5 minutes without whistle.

4) Take out the plate. Heat some oil in a kadhai and add mustard seeds. Allow them to splutter. Add the chopped green chillies and fry a bit.

5) Pour this oil-mustard seeds-green chillies mixture on top of the steamed khaman and cut into square pieces.

6) Garnish with chopped coriander leaves before serving. Dry coconut (Kopra) can also be used for garnishing.

Note: 1) Can be eaten hot or cold as a snack by itself, or can be served with Bombay Chutney and/or Raw Papaya kosamalli.

2) People who do not like too much of a sweet taste can cut down on the quantity of sugar.