Surti Locho
Surti Locho – Steamed Gujarati Farsan made out of split bengal gram and rice batter fermented over night and steamed with very basic spices.
Locho is steamed Gujarati Farsan (Snack /Side Dish) originated in Surat city. It is made from split bengal gram and rice batter or some people use only gram flour. The dish derives its name from its loose consistency and irregular shape like dumplings. It is somewhat related to Khaman. Unlike Khaman, it is not served in regular shaped cut pieces. It is served popping hot, seasoned with oil, butter, sev, spices, coriander, onion, chutney and cheese (cheese is a new thing on locho now!) etc.
I was born and raised in Surat city, a city of delicious food! My family had this ritual on every Sunday morning while I was growing up. My parents used to get Khaman every Sunday morning for breakfast. And suddenly it changed from Khaman to Locho! All my family members LOVE locho so much that my mother decided to start making it at home! The recipe I am sharing is her recipe that we have been making for years now!
Not only my family, all my and my siblings’ friends love my mother’s homemade locho just as much! Every year on Uttarayan (makar sankranti/kite flying day), all our friends would come over to our home for flying kites and most importantly to each my mom’s homemade locho! I have seen my mom making this huge quantity and still was not enough!
You can use the same batter, just a little thicker, to make Khaman. If you are making khaman with the same batter, let the steamed batter cool down completely before cutting it. Once it cooled down completely, cut it into cubes and temper it with hot oil along with mustard seeds and asafetida. Garnish it with chopped cilantro and shredded coconut!
Everyone from family to friends love this dish so much!
I hope you and you family loves it too! Tag me on Instagram @myvegetarianroots if you end up making it and liking it!
Happy Eating!
Surati Locho – Steamed Gujarati Street Food
Ingredients
- 4 cup Split Bengal Gram
- 1 cup Rice
- ¾ cup Yogurt
- 4 tbsp Green Chili Paste Serrano Pepper Paste
- 2 tbsp Ginger Paste
- 1 tsp Turmeric Powder
- 1 tbsp Salt
- 1 tsp Sugar
- ¼ tsp Asafetida
- ½ cup Peanut Oil
Spicy Locho Masala for garnishing
- 1 tsp Red Chili Powder
- 1 tsp Cumin Powder
- 1 tsp Ground Black Pepper
- 1 tsp Black Salt
- ½ tsp Salt
- 1 pinch Asafetida
- ½ tsp Mango Powder
Green Peanut Chutney
- ½ bunch Cilantro
- ½ cup Peanuts
- 1 tsp Salt
- ½ tsp Ground Black Pepper
- 1 tsp Sugar
- 1 Serrano Pepper
- 1 tbsp Lime Juice
Instructions
Green Peanut Chutney
- Blend all green peanut chutney ingredients in a blender till smooth. Add water while blending to get desired consistency. Keep it aside.
Spicy Locho Masala for garnishing
- Mix all spicy locho masala ingredients together and keep it aside.
Prepare Locho
- Wash and soak Split Bengal gram and rice separately for 6-8 hours.
- Grind soaked and drained Split Bengal gram until you get just a little grainy and close to smooth paste. Add little water at a time to get desired consistency while blending.
- Grind soaked and drained rice until you get just a little grainy and close to smooth paste. Add little water at a time to get desired consistency while blending.
- Mix both pastes together in a big bowl along with salt, sugar, turmeric powder, asafetida and yogurt. Add little water at a time to get cake batter like consistency while mixing.
- Cover and keep it in a dark place over night or for 8+ hours to ferment it. I like to keep it either in an oven (of course with oven NOT ON) with only lights on or in the instant pot on yogurt setting without the ring on.
- Once the batter is fermented, add green chili paste, ginger paste and oil to it. Mix it very well and taste it. Add more salt and spices if needed. Add little water at a time to get cake batter like consistency while mixing.
- Take enough batter out in a bowl for one steaming batch. When you're ready to steam the locho, add ENO fruit salt to the batter and mix it very well till you see it foaming up.
- Immediately pour the batter into an oil-greased pan that is being used to steam the locho. Steam for 15 to 20 minute on medium to high heat. The locho is done when you poke it with a knife or toothpick and it comes out clean.
- Serve it immediately when it's done and hot! Place one serving of locho onto a plate. Top it with sev, drizzle peanut oil, sprinkle few pinches of locho msalsa and chopped onions on top with side of green peanut chutney!