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Appetizers & Snacks Power Breakfasts

Vegan Chettinad Corn Dhokla | Steamed Corn Cakes

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Vegan Corn Dhokla is a savory steamed snack made with corn rawa. These cakes are soft, porous & very delicious. Chettinad sauce gives it that extra flavor.

3 Corn Dhokla resting on a spoon

I was in India, few months back on a holiday. Whenever I am there, one of the things I love to do is explore the local markets. I like going back to the same old grocery stores to meet the staff who still remember me and to see what new products have come up recently. What amazes me now is that you nearly get everything there that you get here. The same brands that I buy here are available there. I don’t think this was the scene six years back when I was living there. Anyways, while I am there, I also discover some new products or something which never caught my attention before. My trips to such stores always end with me exiting with a bag full of products and a silly broad smile slapped on my face. But I really have to wait to get back to my home in the US to try these products out, since I do not have the right setup there needed for a food blog. But that’s fine I guess. 

Corn Dhokla in a plate with tadka on top and cutlery on the side

On this trip, I got many interesting items and one of them was corn rawa. I never knew such a thing existed. I of course had heard of corn flour but not corn rawa. This corn was broken down such that it resembled coarse rawa/semolina in texture. Since I had never cooked with it before, it stayed in my pantry untouched. I wanted to use it for a special recipe. While talking to my friend in India yesterday, she mentioned that she was eating dhokla. Now for those who don’t know what a Dhokla. It is a traditional vegetarian Gujarati snack that’s steamed. You can make dhokla with fermented batter or you can satisfy your cravings by making instant dhokla. You can prepare this delicious snack using a variety of flours and other other ingredients. Dhokla being such a versatile dish, it can be eaten for breakfast, as a main course, as a side dish, or as a snack. 

Corn Dhokla in a tray with a pizza cutter on top of it

Dhokla is very similar to Khaman, however Dhokla is made from rice gram batter and is white in color, whereas Khaman is typically made from Chickpeas flour/besan and looks yellow in color. But this Corn Dhokla is a fusion of sorts. For those who like the flavor of corn, you will like the taste of this. Now talking about steamed food. There a many reasons why a steamed snack is a good idea. Here are some – steamed food retains the fiber, color and flavor of the vegetables, retains vitamins and minerals, is easy to digest, requires zero to minimal oil for cooking, its a quick and easy cooking technique, the food cooks faster, it cooks almost anything and everything and its a perfect tool when you don’t have the time or energy to commit to cooking. That is why, Steamed Corn Dhokla is a great snack option for everybody. It’s healthy, vegan and gluten-free. Let me share the recipe with you now. 

4 image collage showing the steps to make Corn Dhokla

I wanted to give the dhokla a different flavor, so give it a South Indian twist. You need a steamer or an Idli Cooker with dhokla plate attachment. In a big bowl, add corn rawa. Add Chettinad paste, salt, curry leaves powder, cumin powder, ginger paste, chopped green chillies, semolina/rawa, chopped cilantro, green peas and yogurt. Give it all a good mix. Add little water to give it a thick batter consistency. Now add baking soda to the batter, once it starts to become frothy, mix it into the batter. Grease a dhokla plate using a cooking spray. Place it in a steamer/Idli cooker/Instant Pot and steam it for 12 minutes. Once done, allow it to cool for a couple of minutes. Then using a pizza cutter, cut in squares (refer above pic). Then its time to to prepare the tadka. Heat oil in a tadka pan and temper mustard seeds and asafoetida once its hot. Pour this tadka over the dhokla and serve immediately with chutney or ketchup. It is a very nourishing and low calorie delicious snack that can be enjoyed anytime of the day!

a plate full of Corn Dhokla with some of it resting on a spoon

If you do try this recipe, please do share it with your friends on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest. This will keep me motivated to develop more interesting recipes. Click a pic and post it with the hashtag #cookiliciousveg . I would love to see your pictures on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter!

3 Corn Dhokla resting on a spoon

Vegan Chettinad Corn Dhokla | Steamed Corn Cakes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate Recipe
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Course: Appetizer, Breakfast, Snack
Cuisine: Asian, gujarati, Indian
Keyword: chettinad cuisine, dhokla, dry snack, vegan
Servings: 4 people
Author Priya Lakshminarayan

Equipment

  • Idli Cooker with dhokla plate attachment

Ingredients

To prepare the Dhokla batter

  • 2 cups corn rawa
  • 2-3 tbsp Chettinad paste
  • 2 tbsp curry leaves powder
  • 1/2 tbsp cumin powder
  • 1 tbsp ginger paste
  • 3-4 green chillies
  • 2-3 tbsp semolina/rawa
  • 1/3 cup chopped cilantro
  • 1/4 cup frozen green peas
  • 1 cup yogurt
  • salt as required
  • 1 tsp baking soda

To prepare tadka

  • 1 tsp oil
  • 2 tsp mustard seeds
  • Pinch of asafoetida

Instructions

To prepare the Dhokla batter

  • In a big bowl, add corn rawa.
  • Add Chettinad paste, salt, curry leaves powder, cumin powder, ginger paste, chopped green chillies, semolina/rawa, chopped cilantro, green peas and yogurt.
  • Give it all a good mix. Add little water to give it a thick batter consistency.
  • Now add baking soda to the batter, once it starts to become frothy, mix it into the batter.
  • Grease a dhokla plate using a cooking spray. Place it in a steamer/Idli cooker/Instant Pot and steam it for 12 minutes.
  • Once done, allow it to cool for a couple of minutes. Then using a pizza cutter, cut in squares

To prepare tadka

  • Heat oil in a tadka pan and temper mustard seeds and asafoetida once its hot.
  • Pour this tadka over the dhokla, mix and serve immediately with chutney or ketchup.

Notes

You can steam dhokla in an Instant Pot. Follow the instructions to steam veggies. 
Feel free to add more veggies to the batter like chopped carrots, beans, bell peppers to make it more nutritious.
You can enjoy these dhoklas without the tadka on top if you want to go completely oil-free.
Corn Rawa can be found at any Indian grocery store. 
If you cannot find corn rawa, just use semolina/rawa instead.
Baking soda needs to be added to the batter just before steaming the dhokla. 
Baking soda makes fluffy and soft dhokla. 
You can add fresh curry leaves instead of powder.
If unable to find Chettinad paste, add any curry powder/Madras curry masala.
Tried this recipe?Share your creation by tagging me @Cookilicious on Instagram with the #cookiliciousveg

I use the hashtag #cookiliciousveg on all social media platforms (Instagram, Twitter, Facebook) so you can get access to what's cooking in my kitchen. To stay updated, you can either subscribe to our newsletter  (free gift if you do so!) or follow me on my social media Instagram , Facebook   and Twitter! There is even a Pinterest board called Cookilicious Recipes  from where you can pin the recipes you love.

a platter full of Corn Dhokla

If looking for some tea time snacks, then check out these recipes – Vegan Sabudana | Sago | Tapioca Pearls Khichdi Recipe, Crispy & Masaledar Cheeselings Bhel & No Cook Recipe!, Black Chana Chaat, Pav Bhaji Masala, Masala Toast, Vegan Matki Misal in an Instant Pot, Vegan Crispy Onion Pakoda | Fried Kanda Bhajiya, Potato Chilly Garlic Masala Toast, Bombay Style Veg Masala Toast Sandwich,  Sev Puri Grill Sandwich, Masala Soda/Coke Popsicle, Step by Step Recipe of Bombay Special Vada Pav, Masala Dal Vada/Lentil Fritters, Semolina Vegetable Bites and Masala Dosa with Sweet Potato Filling.


7 Comments

Comments

  1. Kushigalu says

    October 9, 2019 at 4:06 pm

    Love the twist and flavors in the dhokla here. Yummm

    Reply
  2. Elina says

    October 3, 2019 at 2:10 am

    Such a delicious recipe. I loved it

    Reply
  3. Genevieve says

    August 27, 2019 at 11:41 pm

    This is the first I’ve heard of this recipe, but it looks beautiful!

    Reply
  4. Noelle says

    August 27, 2019 at 11:25 pm

    This was such a great new recipe for my kitchen! Can’t wait to try it out

    Reply
  5. The Anthony Kitchen says

    August 27, 2019 at 10:19 pm

    I’m always excited to try something new and this chettinad corn dhokla look right up my alley.

    Reply
  6. Krissy Allori says

    August 27, 2019 at 9:27 pm

    This just looks amazing. I’ll have to give it a try for sure! I love introducing new foods to my family.

    Reply
  7. Jamie says

    August 27, 2019 at 9:20 pm

    I’ve never had this before but I’m so curious what this tastes like! I’ll have to make a run to our nearby Indian grocery store so I can make this! Looks so delicious.

    Reply

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