10 Steam-Cooked Dishes in India Besides Idli and Dhokla That Are Healthy and Tasty Too!
When it comes to healthy and tasty snacks, Indian cuisine has plenty to offer. If you’re tired of oily fried food, steamed dishes are a great alternative. They are light, nutritious, and just as flavourful. While idli and dhokla are the most popular, there are many other traditional steamed delicacies from across India that deserve a spot on your plate. Here are ten of them.
Handvo
A Gujarati savoury cake, Handvo is made with a fermented batter of rice, lentils, and sometimes vegetables. It is steamed or baked, then topped with a tempering of mustard seeds, sesame seeds, and curry leaves. The result is a wholesome dish with a nutty, tangy flavour.
Patra
Popular in Gujarat and Maharashtra, Patra is made using colocasia (taro) leaves smeared with a spiced gram flour paste. The leaves are rolled, steamed, sliced, and tempered with sesame seeds and mustard seeds. It’s best enjoyed hot with chutney.
Ammini Kozhukattai
A Tamil Nadu favourite, Ammini Kozhukattai are small steamed rice flour dumplings. Once cooked, they are tossed in a tempering of mustard seeds, urad dal, red chilies, curry leaves, and finally garnished with coconut.
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Puttu
This Kerala and Tamil Nadu breakfast dish is made of layers of ground rice and grated coconut, steamed in a special vessel called a puttu maker. Traditionally cooked in bamboo logs, puttu is served with kadala curry or ripe bananas and is filling yet light.
Panki
From Surat in Gujarat, Panki is a thin rice flour pancake steamed between banana leaves. The leaves keep the pancake moist and add a subtle earthy flavour. It is usually served with chutneys and makes for a light snack.
Sidu
A Himachali speciality, Sidu is a fluffy steamed bread stuffed with a mix of ghee, walnuts, and jaggery. Soft, aromatic, and slightly sweet, it is enjoyed as breakfast or a snack and is part of the state’s rich culinary tradition.
Kozhukattai
Another South Indian delicacy, Kozhukattai is a steamed dumpling filled with coconut, jaggery, and cardamom. It is especially popular during Ganesh Chaturthi and other festive occasions.
Patra Ni Machi
This Parsi classic features fresh fish coated in a green chutney made of coriander, mint, coconut, and spices, then wrapped in banana leaves and steamed. The method locks in the flavours and makes the fish moist and aromatic.
These dishes show how steaming is more than just a cooking technique in India—it’s a tradition that brings together health and flavour in every bite.
