Dhokla - Savory Steamed Chickpea Cake (Gluten Free)

Ingredients (serves 4-5)

1 cup +1/3 cup besan (chickpea flour)
3/4 cup thick plain whole milk yogurt (not greek, not fat-free, slightly sour)
3 tablespoon canola oil
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1/4 teaspoon hing powder (asafoetida)
1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
1/3 to 1/2 cup room temperature water (or as required to make a lacy, ribbon like flowing batter consistency)
2 Thai green chillies
1 " ginger shoot
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

Sweet Water for soaking & storing the dhokla  

Play with the quantities of sugar, lime juice and salt to how sweet, salty or tart you want.
3/4 cup water
1 small lime, juiced (adjust to taste)
1/2 teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
2-3 tablespoon granulated sugar (adjust to taste)

For Tempering

1.5 tablespoon oil
1/2 teaspoon black mustard seeds
1/2 tablespoon white sesame seeds
1 green chili, chopped
4-5 curry leaves (skip if you do not have)
Chopped fresh cilantro

Notes

Avoid using very old baking powder or soda for this recipe.
Even though I used a high dish for steaming it, I realized that it would have been much faster and proper if I used a shallow but wide dish for steaming it 
(the traditional route). If you have a wide dish which can fit your steamer and hold your batter, go for it.
I found that the taste & texture changed on 3rd day in the refrigerator. 

Method

Select the bowl or dish that you will use for steaming the batter. Choose a wide dish (if possible) which holds the batter and allows the rising. 
You should have at least 2" of space remaining after the batter had been poured into the dish. 
Very very liberally, grease the bowl or dish with oil. I use my stock pot as a steamer with a bowl on top of shallow bowl/rack and water at bottom.

In a large bowl, sift the chickpea flour.Add the plain yogurt, oil, hing, sugar and turmeric powders. Mix well. 
Now start adding water a little at a time and mixing simultaneously to form a lacy batter. The batter should not be thin. 
Depending on the chickpea flour quality, you may need anywhere from 1/3 to 1/2 cup water. 
When you try to drop the batter from a 2" height, it should drop continuously (not flow). 
Once mixed, let the batter sit for 20 minutes on kitchen counter.

Meanwhile, using your mortar & pestle, mince up the ginger and green chillies.Set aside. 
Also, separately in a bowl, mix together the water, sugar, lime juice and salt. Let sit.

Ready up your steamer. Or if using a stock pot, fill up the stock pot with water half way below the shallow dish/rack. 
Let the water come to a boil. Reduce the heat and let the water simmer.

Mix the chickpea flour batter with minced ginger and chillies. Add the baking powder, soda and salt to the batter. 
Immediately pour in the oiled dish and set in the steamer. 
Let steam for 15-18 minutes ((this time will depend on how deep your steaming dish/bowl is) or until a skewer comes out clean from the center of the cake.
Put the steamer/stove off.  Keep an eye, the cake will dry out if steamed more.

Let the cake cool off slightly in the steamer itself. Keep covered at all times. 
Once easy to handle, run a sharp knife and transfer to a platter. If you feel that its sticking do not attempt to transfer. Proceed to next step.

While the cake is still warm (not hot) to touch, soak it up in half the sweet syrup prepared earlier. Reserve the rest of the syrup for storing.

Prepare the tempering. Heat up the oil for tempering on medium low heat in a small sauce pan.
Add the mustard seeds and let crackle. Add the sesame seeds next and put the stove off. 
Immediately add the curry leaves and green chillies. Scatter this tempering on top of the cake along with chopped cilantro. 

Slice the cake and serve cold or warm.

If you have leftovers, store them in a box with lid soaking in syrup, refrigerated.