How to make 

Vati Dal Na Khaman

Here is how to go about it.

Ingredients (serves 3-4):

1. 1 cup chana dal
2. 1/4 cup urad dal
3. 1/4 cup flattened rice (poha)
4. Salt to taste

5. 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder

6. 3-4 tablespoons sugar/jaggery powder or as needed

7. A 1-inch piece of ginger

8. 2 green chillies

9. Juice of 1/2 lemon (optional)

10. 1 tablespoon oil

11. 3/4 teaspoon mustard seeds

12. 2 pinches of asafoetida

13. 2 teaspoons sesame seeds

14. 1 tablespoon finely chopped coriander leaves

Method:
Top left and right: Steps 2 and 3, Centre left and right: Step 4, Bottom left and
right: Step 5
1. Wash the chana dal and urad dal thoroughly under running water. Soak them in
enough water for 6-8 hours or overnight. Soak the poha in enough water for 20-30
minutes.
2. When the ingredients are done soaking, drain out the water from them. You may
reserve this water for use during grinding, later.

3. Add the soaked and drained urad dal and poha to a mixer jar. Grind till smooth,
adding only a little water as needed. Transfer to a large vessel.
4. Next, add the soaked and drained chana dal to the mixer jar. Grind coarsely,
adding a little water as needed. Transfer this batter to the large vessel too.
5. Add salt to taste, to the vessel. Mix both batters well, using your hands. Set it
aside, covered, for fermentation – this might take 12-15 hours.
Top left: The fermented batter, Top centre: Step 6, Top right and centre left: Step
7, Centre middle and right: Step 8 and 9, Bottom left and right: Steps 10 and 11
6. Once the batter has fermented, add turmeric powder and sugar/jaggery powder.

7. Peel the ginger and chop roughly. Chop the green chillies roughly. Grind both to a
paste in a small mixer jar, using a little water. Add this paste to the batter.

8. Add the lemon juice to the batter too. If needed, add in some water, but not too
much.

9. Mix the batter well. Now, you are ready to use the batter to make khaman.
10. Heat about 1-1/2 cups of water in a pressure cooker base. Place a stand inside.
Keep the cooker base on high flame for it to get heated up.

11. Grease a wide vessel with a little oil. Place this on top of the stand, inside the
pressure cooker. Let it get heated up too.

Top left, centre and right: Steps 12, 13 and 14, Below top right: The
steamed khaman, Bottom right: Step 14, Bottom centre and left: Steps 15 and 16
12. When the water in the pressure cooker starts boiling and steaming, pour half of
the batter into the hot, greased vessel.

13. Close the pressure cooker. Steam for about 20 minutes on high flame, without
putting the whistle on. Switch off gas when done and wait for 7-10 minutes before
opening the pressure cooker.

14. In the meantime, prepare the tempering for the khaman. Heat the oil in a small
tempering pan. Add in the mustard, and allow to sputter. Add in the asafoetida and
sesame seeds, and let them stay in for a couple of seconds. Pour this tempering
over the prepared khaman and spread evenly.
15. Garnish the khaman with finely chopped coriander leaves.
16. Your Vati Dal Na Khaman are ready to serve. Allow to cool down a little, then cut
into square pieces using a knife, and serve.
17. Steam and serve the remaining batter too, in the same way.