Tausalli is one of the most loved breakfasts among Konkanis. I never knew it is also called ‘cucumber cake’. But after reading Ashwini’s post and also talking to few of my readers who referred to this dish as ‘cucumber cake’, I thought of adding “Cucumber cake” to the title of this post. Taushe means Cucumber in Konkani. The name comes from “taushe idli – tausalli” since it is steamed like idli.
I have grown up eating this dish for breakfast or evening snacks with chutney or chutney powder(pitto). Our version of this dish is not very sweet. Usually turmeric leaves are used to line up the vessel in which this dish is steamed. These leaves give extra flavor to the dish. But since the leaves are not available here, I steamed them directly in cooker vessel.
Ingredient:
Cucumber(grated) 1 cup
Rice 1/2 cup or rice rava(idli rava) 1/2 cup
Coconut(fresh or frozen) 1/2 cup
Ghee 1 tea spn
Sugar/jaggery 1/2 tea spn
Salt
For lining up vessel
Turmeric leaves(optional) 5-6 or ghee 1 tea spn
The amount of sugar/jaggery can be increased to make the dish more sweet.
Method:
Soak rice in water fr around 2hrs. Drain the water and spread it on a dry cloth or paper. When it becomes dry, grind it into coarse rava (alternatively, use the idli rava directly).
Mix rava with all other ingredients and leave it for around 30mins. When it is left for 30mins, the mixture leaves water. This makes the dish more tasty.
Lineup the cooker vessel with a layer of turmeric leaves, if leaves are not used, apply ghee to the vessel. Pour the mixture in to the vessel. Cover the mixture with one more layer of leaves.
Steam it for around 10-15mins(similar to idlis without adding the weight). Cut into desired shape.
Serve with chutney or chutney powder.
Serves : 2
Preparation time : 20mins (excluding the ‘standing’ time)
shilpa, Cucumber used to make a cake…….simply great! I do have few cucumbers left…..will try this asap…Thanks fo rsharing! just a small query, would turmeric leaves give out the turmeric taste & aroma……??
Yes Lera, Turmeric leaves a strong aroma. If you are not familiar with the aroma, do not use it. (Some people simply hate the aroma)
Hi Shilpa… I miss the turmeric leaves here. I have tried calling all the Indian shops during Ganesh Chaturti to check if they have the leaves. No Luck. I make this here in microwave.I have never tried here with rice rawa. I make it with normal suji (upma rawa). Add a lot of jaggery and coconut. Keep aside for 30 min and steam for 10 min. It is a favorite among my husbands collegues.
Hi Shilpa,
Healthy and simple recipe. Thanks for sharing. I think dudhi (bottle guard) will go well too instead of cucumber. Will try it out soon. Started a blog. Do visit.
Great recipe Shilpa!
Cucumber cake is something I never heard of. One more to my Tudo list. Thnx for sharing Shilpa.
Hi shilpa, you always have something new here..thanks for the recipe…
Shilpa, looks yummy…never heard of this recipe before—- will try soon:)
Shilpa, this sounds just superb. I must try it — thanks for sharing!
Hi Shilpa,
I make this dish. I donot know the name of this dish.
I call it as “Cucumber Idli”. I learnt this from my Aunty.
Thanks for sharing.
that’s a very nice recipe.have to try it.thanks for sharing
Hi Shilpa,
As usual this is a new recipe which i have never heard or tasted….A simple and easy to make recipe..thanks for sharing it.
Hi Shilpa,
Your cucumber cake looks very diff to me.thanks for sharing will give a try.
I found your blog only today.Must go and visit your Archives now
Wonderful recipe.. Can we use the regular idli plates (most South-Indians will have them handy at home) to steam, just as we make regular idlis?!
Also what are the alternatives for the turmeric or banana leaves?
Looks like a very healthy recipe for my toddler. I soon plan to try this. Thanks a lot.
Madhavi
Hi Shilpa
I tried this one with 1 chopped chili and a table spoon of curd and skipped the sugar. It had a very good smell and my guests enjoyed it on the weekend. Thanks.
My grandmother made this on banana leaf. She used to make two verieties, one with green chilli and the other with jaggry. My mother in law makes them on turmeric leaves. In U.S you can plant the turmeric roots and get very nice big leaves. I got the roots in Indian stores in Southern California.
Shipa you mentioned that “When it is left for 30mins, the mixture leaves water. This makes the dish more tasty.”
Does this mean that you should remove the water away and throw it
thanks,
geeta
Geeta, no you should not throw water. When the mixture leaves water, the rava and other ingredients get mixed well and give a very good taste. If mixture is too dry or extra water is added, the taste won’t be so good. For a person who has never tasted it, it might not make any difference, but people who are fans, might feel some taste difference.
Hi Shilpa,
WE make the tousali by using jaggery instead of sugar. Same method with little difference. Mix the mixure add jaggery instead of sugar and keep in the cake utensil of aluminium used prior to electric oven. This is kept on low flame for about 50 to 60 mintues. To know if the cake is ready prick a sewing needle through the hole which are on the lid – let the needle touch the bottom of the cake – remove it if its clean without the cake (mixture around it) the cake is ready. Keep it overnight and serve in the morning. This is practice we made. Try to follow and let me know.
My grandmother made a similar one with jaggrey but we call it MOKAL in Ratnagiri……My mom in law makes something similar with wheat rava and they call it DHEBRA… in Malvani
Hi Shilpa, this recipe looks very healthy and yummy, can I bake it for 30 minutes instead of steaming it?
Shilpa: I am not sure if the rice will cook if this is baked.
Thanks Shilpa, I am not too sure how to steam it, do I need a specific steamer or something?
Shilpa: You can use steamer if you have. I do it in cooker, using cooker vessels, cooked without using weight. If you don’t have cooker, you can still make it in a vessel – which is kept in another bigger vessel with water in it.
Dear Shilpa,
A feel it is a good breakfast treat. I am confused.. Do you use the normal cucumber or the big fat yellow coloured cucumber which is also known as “Moghe” Kindly advise. As I have turmeric leaves kept in my freezer. and all the other ingredients, I plan to prepare it soon.
I am also looking out for other breakfast items which are prepared without coconut and oil.. Can you please suggests something..
Shilpa: You can use any one – we use whatever is available. We make it with both cucumber and mogge.
This is a very traditional recipe. We make something similar called Mokal, but it sweet with regular Rava and Sugar/Jaggery, Coconut. Will try this one now..Thanks
its something different….i want to try this…today itself i’m going to do this..thanks..
Dear Shilpa,
I’d been thinking of this recipe for a while and yesterday I finally made it. It turned out awesome :), so thank you. Wanted to ask you, do you do your steaming in a pressure cooker? I do mine in a rice cooker and it seems to take longer.
Thanks,
Anupama
I use a steamer. Actually it is a pasta steamer like this
My mother also made a similar sweet dish with jackfruit or banana–we loved both the tausalli and the jackfruit or banana cake. Turmeric leaves make a big difference–can’t get them.