Sev Khamani recipe by Sameer S Nilatkar
As a Hotelier, I’m always excited at the prospect of a Hi-Tea. It’s a crucial break from your day schedule that allows us to interact with clients and take feedback on service, food, menu, Housekeeping, etc. The same goes true with guests who get a break from their meetings and can relax for a while, enjoying their favourite cuppa over some delish snacks such as cheese toast, batata vada, mini samosas, mince puffs, etc. Well, on the personal front, whenever I’m at home, I cherish my Hi-Tea with snacks such as Papdi Chaat, Sev Puri, etc, but one snack stands out amongst these, and that’s Sav Khamni. This delightful crunchy snack can be prepared in minutes and tastes a combination of tangy and sweet. The Pomegranate seeds topped up on a heap of Sev give this dish a dramatic and colourful effect.
Ingredients For Chana Dal Khaman
1 cup Chana Dal
4-5 cloves Garlic
3-4 Green Chilies
2-inch Piece of Ginger
1/4 tsp Turmeric
1/2 tsp Lemon Salt/Citric Acid or 1/2 Lemon Juice
1/4 tsp Baking Soda
1 tbsp Oil
Salt 2-3 tsp Sugar (as per taste)
For Tadka/Tempering
2 tbsp Oil
1-2 Finely chopped Green Chilies
1 tsp Mustard Seeds
Pinch of Asafoetida/Hing
1 tsp Sugar
Pinch of Salt
For garnishing
1/4 cup Chopped Coriander Leaves
1/2 cup Sev
1/4 cup Pomegranate
1 tsp Green chilly chutney
1 tsp dates tamarind chutney
1 tsp red chilly garlic chutney
Finely chopped onion
Method:
- Wash the chana dal and soak it for 5-6 hrs or overnight.
- Drain the water from the soaked chana dal and add into the blender. Add ginger, green chillies and garlic also into the blender and blend it. While blending use less than 1/4 cup of water to make the batter, do not blend very fine paste.
- Now remove the paste into a mixing bowl. Add sugar, salt, lemon salt, soda, turmeric, and oil into the mixing bowl and mix it well. Now whisk the mixture using a spoon for 2-3 mins till some light foamy texture and keep aside.
- Now take the idli or dhokla steamer or you can use the large deep pan. Add 1-2 cup water and bring it to the boil.
- Place a small stand for a plate in it.
- Meanwhile, take a dhokla steaming plate and grease it with a few drops of oil. Pour the prepared batter into the plate, then place the batter plate into the steamer and steam the mixture for about 10-15 mins.
- Remove the steamed Khaman plate from the steamer and keep it aside till it cools down a little bit.
- Cut the khaman and crumble it using your hands into the mixing bowl; it should be of bread crumbs texture. Spread finely chopped green chillies over it and keep aside.
- Now heat the oil in a small pan. Once the oil is hot enough, add mustard seeds and a pinch of hing. Temper a bit, add 3-4 tbsp of water, sugar and salt; bring it to a boil, pour the liquidy tadka / tempering over the crumbly mixture.
- Khamani is ready now. Before serving, add dates, tamarind chutney, green chilly chutney, red chilly garlic chutney, finely chopped onion, pomegranate, coriander, and sev and serve it fresh.
