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Imagine a snack that is so awesome that it has a soft, spongy base, a sweet-savoury tadka on top, a handful of crispy-crunchy sev on top of that, and a generous sprinkling of sweet pomegranate seeds. A loaded snack indeed, isn’t it? Hello foodie, meet Surti Sev Khamani, the flavour bomb of a snack you will crave after trying just once! Also known as Amiri Khaman, the dish is so yummy that you need to whip it up this evening!
When I first came across this traditional Gujarati evening snack, I was taken pleasantly by surprise by the sheer amount of deliciousness a plate of it can hold. Today, we tend to give many dishes the name of “flavour bomb”, but Surti Sev Khamani has been earning that praise for decades now. As the name suggests, Surti Sev Khamani was invented in the Gujarati city of Surat, where it’s a popular street food. Now, of course, the dish has crossed city and state limits and is enjoyed by anybody looking for a great evening snack.
In case you’re wondering Surti Sev Khamani has three key components. The first is the khaman dhokla made of chana dal. The khaman dhokla, once steamed and cooled, is broken into pieces. This means that if you have any leftover khaman dhokla, you can also whip up Surti Sev Khamani with it! What a way to repurpose leftovers! The second component is the tadka, also known as vaghar in Gujarati. Usually, the khaman dhokla vaghar is prepared with salt and sugar to get that sweet-salty flavour blend. However, if you’re not a big fan of sweet tadka, then you can choose to skip the sugar. The third component is the final bit of topping. Spicy-salty sev kurmure are added on top of the dish along with those red pomegranate seeds that add bursts of sweetness. However, many people also like to add chutneys before adding the sev topping to add more flavour to the dish.
If all this sounds like a mouthwatering medley you just must have this evening, then here’s the recipe for you to try.
Image courtesy: Facebook/Payal Patel
Ingredients:
10 khaman dhokla pieces
1 tsp mustard seeds
¼ tsp asafoetida or hing
1 tsp garlic, finely chopped
2 green chillies, finely chopped
6-8 curry leaves
Salt, to taste
2 tbsp sugar
1 cup water
2 tsp oil
2 tbsp coriander leaves, chopped
½ cup sev
½ cup pomegranate seeds
Chutney, for garnish (optional)
Method:
1. Take a large bowl or plate and crumble the khaman dhokla evenly all over it.
2. Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds, hing, garlic, green chillies and curry leaves.
3. Once these temperings stop spluttering, add the salt and sugar, stir and add the water.
4. Let the water boil and once the sugar dissolves completely, pour the tadka all over the crumbled khaman dhokla evenly.
5. Now top the khaman dhokla with sev, coriander leaves, chutney and pomegranate seeds. Seve hot or cold as per your choice.
