Nylon Khamanખમણ
Video: Your Food Lab (YouTube)
Nylon Khaman earns its name from its famously silky, ultra-spongy texture — lighter than the usual dhokla-style khaman and far more delicate on the palate. It is a beloved Gujarati street food that doubles as an any-occasion snack, served with green chutney on a steel plate in Ahmedabad's bustling markets. The secret is Eno fruit salt added at the last second, which causes the batter to bloom into a soft, airy sponge that drinks up the sweet-savory tempering like a sponge. Once you taste it fresh from the steamer, no store-bought version will satisfy.
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Ingredients
- ▪Besan (gram flour / chickpea flour — ચણા નો લોટ)1 cup (120g)
- ▪Fine sooji / rava2 tablespoons
- ▪Water (room temperature)3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons
- ▪Citric acid (limbu na phul — લીંબુ ના ફૂલ)1/2 teaspoon
- ▪Sugar2 teaspoons (batter) + 2 teaspoons (tempering water)
- ▪Salt3/4 teaspoon, or to taste
- ▪Oil (neutral)1 teaspoon (batter) + 2 tablespoons (tempering)
- ▪Turmeric powdera small pinch (for colour)
- ▪Eno fruit salt (plain / unflavoured)1 teaspoon
- For the tempering
- ▪Mustard seeds (rai — રાઈ)1 teaspoon
- ▪Curry leaves10–12 leaves
- ▪Green chilies, slit lengthwise2–3
- ▪Sesame seeds (til — તલ)1 tablespoon
- ▪Asafoetida (hing — હींગ)a small pinch
- Eno fruit salt (the leavening secret): If you cannot find it, combine 1/2 tsp baking soda with 1/4 tsp cream of tartar — add this just like Eno. Eno's exact blend gives the most reliable rise, so pick it up at any Indian grocery store in the UK, US, or Canada; it is widely stocked near the spice aisle.
- Citric acid: Replace with 2 tablespoons fresh lemon or lime juice, reducing the water in the batter by 2 tablespoons. The result is slightly tangier but works well. Citric acid crystals are also sold in South Asian grocery stores and many baking supply shops abroad.
- Steaming setup: No dhokla plate? Any shallow metal cake tin or a steel bowl works inside a large pot with a folded foil ring as a rack. The khaman just needs a flat surface and circulating steam — the vessel shape is flexible.
Method
- 1In a large bowl, whisk together besan, sooji, citric acid, 2 tsp sugar, salt, turmeric, and 1 tsp oil. Gradually add 3/4 cup + 2 tbsp water and beat into a smooth, lump-free batter (similar to a thick dosa batter consistency). Let it rest 5 minutes.
- 2Set up your steamer: fill a pot or pressure cooker (without the weight) with 1.5 inches of water and bring to a full rolling boil. Grease a shallow tray or dhokla plate (about 7–8 inch diameter, 1.5 inch deep) generously with oil.
- 3Make the tempering sugar water: dissolve 2 tsp sugar in 1/4 cup warm water. Set aside.
- 4Just before steaming, tip Eno fruit salt into the batter and immediately fold it in with a gentle circular motion for 10–15 seconds only — the batter will foam and nearly double in volume. Do not over-mix or the air will deflate.
- 5Quickly pour the foamy batter into the greased tray and place inside the steamer. Cover and steam on medium-high for 15–18 minutes. Resist lifting the lid for the first 12 minutes. Insert a toothpick — it should come out clean.
- 6Remove the tray and allow the khaman to cool for 5 minutes before cutting it into 1.5-inch squares while still in the tray.
- 7Heat 2 tbsp oil in a small tadka pan. Add mustard seeds; when they pop, add hing, then curry leaves, slit green chilies, and sesame seeds. Sauté 30 seconds on medium heat.
- 8Add the sugar water to the tadka — it will sizzle. Pour this tempering evenly all over the khaman squares. Let it rest 5–7 minutes so the squares absorb the sweet-savoury liquid. Serve warm with green coriander chutney.
A Desi.Net original recipe · part of our Indian Cuisine library. Confirm details and adjust to taste.