Tavsali Recipe | Goan Steamed Cucumber Cake Recipe | Eggless Cucumber Cake Recipe

Tavsali is an eggless steamed cucumber cake from Goa. Tavsali is made with a handful of ingredients in a steamer. It has the delicate taste of cucumbers and is mildly sweet from the jaggery. Tavsali is refined sugar free. Tavsali suits a Jain diet and can be adapted to a vegan or plant based diet by just replacing the ghee with oil.

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Tavsali always takes me back to my childhood. When I think of Tavsali, a scene is formed in my mind and I would give anything to go back to it. It is afternoon in my mom's kitchen, stormy dark grey clouds outside and my mom has just removed this fragrant cake from the steamer while the whole house is having their Sunday afternoon siesta.

My mom loved to cook for us when we were little. She'd learn new recipes from friends, colleagues, and neighbors and try it out on Sunday afternoon when we all slept after a good heavy lunch. And this Tavsali is one of those things that she made for us. I don't think it was a dish she grew up with, but learned it later in life and made it several times for us. It was also something she liked, it had all the flavors of her home, Mangalore, for her in it. cucumber, coconut, and jaggery. 

When it started raining this last month, I'd been craving for this. I don't know why but that scene I wrote before was evoked and I just had to have it. So although I got very lukewarm responses to "I'm going to finally make Tavsali", I went ahead and made a small batch. It didn't take much for the lukewarm to turn to favorable response though. One little half piece from the edge of the cake was all it took, frankly speaking. Even the people I thought would not enjoy it, like my brother in law, seemed to take on a liking for it.

All my recent recipes have been a video, but I was unable to shoot one for this. Reason? It was raining cats and dogs and cows and horses when I started cooking this and the stormy winds caused a blackout and I really had the poorest lighting possible. Luckily, I did take a few pics on my phone, so I added those in the step by step photos.

What is Tavsali?

Tavsali is an eggless steamed cake that is made with coarse rava or semolina/cream of wheat, grated cucumbers, fresh coconut, jaggery, cardamom, and some cashew nuts. It is a very delicate dessert. The mild flavors of cucumber actually shine. The cardamom just adds to the aroma without being overpowering. Tavsali is also not one of those desserts that is cloyingly sweet. It is just mildly sweet. But you can definitely increase the sweetness as required. It is also a very moist cake because of the cucumbers which soften when cooked.

More details...

To make Tavsali, we use the thicker rava not the chiroti rava. Rava used to make upma or uppit or Bansi rava can be used. You can also use Dalia or broken wheat partially. While one can use the yellow cucumber, I used the regular green cucumber to make this.

Firstly, the rava is roasted in a little bit of ghee until it is slightly browned or you get a toasty aroma from it. For a plant based alternative, replace the ghee with coconut oil or any flavorless oil. Allow it to cool, while you grate the cucumbers and coconut. Mix together the rava, grated coconut and the grated cucumber along with the water. Add in powdered or grated jaggery, crushed cardamom seeds, a pinch of salt and broken cashew nuts. Mix until the jaggery is dissolved.

Prepare your steamer, you can use an idli steamer or a pressure cooker without the whistle or just place a kadhai or large vessel with water in it and allow it to come to a boil. Place a stand in your steamer or any vessel just to give the cake tin some height. Grease your cake tin or any vessel in which you are going to make the cake with ghee or coconut oil and pour in the cake mix.

The cake mix is not very thin like regular cakes, it is on the thicker side. But if your cucumbers were on the drier side and you did not get enough juice from them, add a little milk or coconut milk to loosen the batter.

Steam for 30-40 minutes on medium heat. A wet knife inserted into the cake should come out clean.
Remove from heat and allow to cool for 5-10 minutes before demoulding the cake. Wait at least 20-30 minutes before cutting it.

Tavsali can serve as a dessert or as a mildly sweet breakfast too. It lasts well for at least one week in the fridge.

If you made this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment here or on Facebook,  tag your tweet with @oneteaspoonlife on Twitter and don't forget to tag your photo @oneteaspoonoflife on Instagram. You can also email me at onetspoflife@gmail.com I'd love to see what you are up to.

If you like this recipe, do not forget to share it with your friends and family! 

You can follow One Teaspoon Of Life on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest or you can subscribe to One Teaspoon Of Life and receive all the latest updated via Email

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Tavsali Recipe | Goan steamed Cucumber Cake Recipe | Eggless Cucumber Cake

Tavsali is a traditional Goan steamed cucumber cake made with rava or semolina, grated cucumber, coconut and jaggery. It is a mildly sweet dessert with an option to make it vegan.

Recipe Type:  Dessert
Cuisine:            Goan
Prep Time:     15 minutes
Cook time:     60 minutes
Total time:     60 minutes
Yield:                Serves 4-5

Author:                Anupama

Ingredients:

1 cup Coarse Rava (Semolina)
2 Cucumbers
0.5 cup grated Coconut
1 cup powdered Jaggery
0.25 cup broken Cashewnuts
1 tsp Cardamom powder
2 tsp Ghee or Coconut Oil
1-2 Tbsp Milk (Optional)

Method:

1. Heat 1 tsp of ghee or coconut oil in a pan and add the rava. Roast on low-medium heat until lightly browned. Remove from heat and allow to cool completely.
2. Peel and grate the cucumbers and add to the rava, once cooled.
3. Add the grated coconut, cashewnuts and cardamom powder.
4. Add jaggery powder to taste. I used the full 1 cup, you can add more or less as per your taste.
5. You can either shape the cookie dough as a log before chilling or as a ball of dough.
6. Keep water in a steamer to heat or in a pressure cooker. If using a cooker, don't close the lid.
7. Grease a tin with ghee or coconut oil and add the cake batter to it.
8. Place the tin in the cooker or steamer and close the lid. If using a cooker, do not put the whistle.
9. Steam on medium heat for 35-40 minutes or until an inserted knife comes clean.
10. Allow to cool slightly and then demould. Cool completely before cutting.
11. Store in the fridge if not eating the same day.

Step by step photo instructions:

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Patoli

Puran Poli

Mango Saasav

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Patoli Recipe | Sihi Kadabu Recipe | Goan Patoleo Recipe [Video]

Patoleo or Patoli is a traditional Konkani sweet made for Nag Panchami or Ganesh Chaturthi. Patholi are jaggery-coconut stuffed rice rolls that are steamed in fresh Turmeric leaves. This dessert is also made in Udupi-Mangalore as Sihi Kadabu.

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Patoli or Patoleo or Sihi Kadabu, a sweet with many names and just as many different recipes. Last year when I saw fresh turmeric leaves in the market, I felt the desire to make this sweet. After all, Gee loves it and so does Raj. Me? Not as much a fan of it. but I will still eat it because it is sweet and my sweet tooth can rarely pass an opportunity to be indulged. 

And then began the quest to find the perfect recipe - my mom's recipe. It is times like this that I feel the huge gap my mom's absence has left me with. She never wrote down her recipes or even remembered it enough to tell us. She believed we need to watch and learn when she cooked something. And most often, we did not, because I think we believed she will always be around to help us out when we needed it. So there I was with these fresh seasonal leaves and no recipe.

The first thing I did was look up recipes online, only to find so many variations, that I ended up confused. Next, I messaged by Goan friends, hoping to find some commonality there. Alas, there too each one had their own version. I called up my aunt to get her recipe, wishing she had my mother's recipe, but it wasn't it. I could make any one of the 100 recipes that I find online, but just 1 will taste close to what she made it. And I was on the lookout for that recipe. I'm not sure this is exactly the one, but it sure came close. I had photos from the last time she made them for us and I just found them the other day, so when I saw those turmeric leaves again in the market, it was go time. 

It is a simple recipe I'm sharing today, 7 ingredients including the fresh turmeric leaves. And that sounds just like amma. She never over-complicated her cooking. It was the simplest one with the least ingredients but tasted delicious, I guess it was the magic in her hands. Last year, I cooked the filling, this year the pics showed me, my mom, just mixed it and there was no cooking involved. Last year I soaked raw rice, then ground it to make the dough, this year I just used rice flour, as one of the pics seem like that's what she did. This is the only step I don't have photos of. The rest is similar to all the recipes. And guess what, this year, the patoli came damn close to the real deal. And we've all wolfed down so many, that we've lost count. I only hope I've done justice to her recipe.

If you made this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment here or on Facebook,  tag your tweet with @oneteaspoonlife on Twitter and don't forget to tag your photo @oneteaspoonoflife on Instagram. You can also email me at onetspoflife@gmail.com I'd love to see what you are up to.

If you like this recipe, do not forget to share it with your friends and family! 

You can follow One Teaspoon Of Life on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest or you can subscribe to One Teaspoon Of Life and receive all the latest updated via Email

Video Recipe

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Patoli Recipe | Goan Patoleo Recipe | Sihi Kadabu Recipe

Patoleo or Patoli is a traditional Konkani sweet made for Nag Panchami or Ganesh Chaturthi. Patholi are jaggery-coconut stuffed rice rolls that are steamed in fresh Turmeric leaves. This dessert is also made in Udupi-Mangalore as Sihi Kadabu.

Recipe Type:  Dessert
Cuisine:            Indian
Prep Time:     15 minutes
Cook time:     45 minutes
Total time:     60 minutes
Yield:                Makes 3 Patoleos

Ingredients:

1 cup grated fresh Coconut
1 cup Jaggery Powder or grated Jaggery
1 tsp Cardamom Powder
1 cup Rice Flour
Pinch of Salt
Hot water as required
3 fresh Turmeric leaves

Method:

1. Mix the grated coconut, jaggery (as per taste) and cardamom powder until completely combined. Adjust the jaggery as per the desired sweetness.
2. Take rice flour in a large plate or bowl, add in a pinch of salt and knead into a smooth dough with hot water.
3. Turn on the steamer.
4. Check if the turmeric leaf fits horizontally in the steamer, if not, you can cut it into half.
5. Wash the turmeric leaves.
6. If using the whole leaf, divide the dough into 3 parts. If you have cut the leaf, divide the dough into 6 parts.
7. Wet your hands and take 1 part of the dough and gently spread it onto the smooth side of the turmeric leaf.
8. Spread the dough as thin as possible. Ensure there are no holes. You can use more dough if required. If there is excess dough, wipe it off.
9. Once the whole leaf is covered with the dough, spoon in the filling. Do not overstuff, else the stuffing will ooze out while cooking.
10. Fold the leaf lengthwise and seal the edges by pinching them.
11. Place the patoleos in the steamer and steam for 15-20 minutes. The colour of the leaf will change once it is done.
12. Remove from heat and gently peel the turmeric leaf.
13. Serve the patoleos warm.

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Steamed Modak

Chana Dal Payasa

Bele Holige | Puran Poli

Semiyan Kheer

Gajar ka Halwa

Coconut Laddoo

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Steamed Veg Momo Recipe | Vegan Dumplings Recipe [Video]

Veg Momos are vegan dumplings stuffed with a stir fried mix of finely chopped vegetables. The dumpling can either be steamed,  deep fried or pan fried. This is the recipe for steamed veg momos. Steamed veg momos are a specialty of North East India and these are now a popular street food all through India.

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I never skip a chance to eat a Momo. But making them, I've had my excuses.

I'm glad I finally got around to making some, because I simply loved this recipe and I'm so happy I can share it with you. And unlike what I imagined earlier, it is not that elaborate and no, homemade is so much better than the street side one. 

So.... a Momo is a dumpling that is native to the Himalayan region, mainly North-East India, Tibet, Nepal and regions around them. In recent times, momos have taken the streets by storm and it is not unusual to see folks selling momos at street corners. They have become extremely popular as street food. 

My first experience with momo making was in 2009, when we visited Darjeeling. Darjeeling is very famous for momos and I had it in my bucket list to try some there. We used to frequent a small family run restaurant called Nimto that served us vegetarian food. It was here that we saw Auntie (the owner and chef) prepare momos. I was amazed at the speed and quality of the pleating of her momos. While I am nowhere close to her's in aesthetic appeal, I believe I've made up for it with taste.

Veg momos are usually stuffed with cabbage and a mix of other finely chopped veggies. A momo is very mild in flavor, it has a subtle hint of ginger, garlic and heat. It is usually served with either chilly vinegar or a spicy chilli garlic sauce or a spicy peanut sauce. There are some places that serve momos with mayo but I would never visit those places. 

In this post and video, I have included details on how to make the momo wrappers as well. In my next post, I will share a simple recipe to make the Chilli Garlic sauce that I served the momos with. While I did not do it this time, in the past I have frozen momos and steamed them when required. If you plan to freeze momos, place the momos in a large box in a single layer and freeze them. You can then directly steam them (no thawing required) when you want to eat the momos. But just serve them hot, momos tend to get chewy if allowed to cool.

This recipe shows one method of pleating the momos, this is usually how veg momos are pleated. But feel free to pleat or seal the momos as you please. Look up online, there are several easy ways to pleat. Hope you enjoy this recipe. If you do, please let me know!!

Happy Momo Making Weekend!

If you made this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment here or on Facebook,  tag your tweet with @oneteaspoonlife on Twitter and don't forget to tag your photo #oneteaspoonoflife on Instagram. You can also email me at onetspoflife@gmail.com I'd love to see what you are upto.

If you like this recipe, do not forget to share it with your friends and family! 

You can follow One Teaspoon Of Life on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest or you can subscribe to One Teaspoon Of Life and receive all the latest updated via Email

Video Recipe

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Steamed Veg Momo Recipe | Vegan Dumplings Recipe

Veg Momos are vegan dumplings stuffed with a stir fried mix of finely chopped carrots and cabbage. The dumpling can either be steamed, deep fried or pan fried. This is the recipe for steamed veg momos. Steamed veg momos are a specialty of North East India and these are now a popular street food all through India.

Recipe Type:  Snacks
Cuisine:            Indian
Prep Time:     60 minutes
Cook time:     45 minutes
Total time:     50 minutes
Yield:                Makes 20 momos

Ingredients:

For the Dumpling Wrappers:

1 cup All Purpose Flour (Maida)
0.5 tsp Salt
0.5 cup hot Water

For the Momo filling:

3 cups finely chopped Cabbage
0.5 cup finely chopped Carrot
1 Tbsp finely chopped Garlic
1 Tbsp finely chopped Ginger
1 Green Chilli, finely chopped
2 Tbsp Oil
Salt to taste

Method:

1. To make the dumpling wrappers, take the flour in a large bowl and add salt to it.
2. Now add water by the spoonfuls and knead until you have a smooth dough. Knead the dough for at least 10 minutes to allow the gluten to develop. You can also use cold water to knead the dough, but hot water yields a softer wrapper.
3. Cover and keep aside for 30 minutes to 1 hours.
4. While the wrapper dough is resting, make the filling for the momo.
5. To make the momo filling, heat oil in a pan and add in the chopped garlic, ginger and green chilli. Saute until fragrant.
6. Now add the chopped carrot and saute for 2-3 minutes on medium heat.
7. Add in the chopped cabbage and salt to taste and continue to saute on low heat until the cabbage is almost cooked.
8. Remove from heat and allow to cool down to room temperature.
9. Divide the wrapper dough into 20 equal portions.
10. Fill in 1-2 spoons of filling.
11. Wet the edge with water.
12. Carefully pleat the edges to seal the momos.
13. Steam the momos for 5-6 minutes.
14. Serve hot with chilli sauce.

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Vegan Laksa Soup

Steamed Rice Cups

Steamed Lentil Dumplings

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Nuchhina Unde Recipe | Nuchinunde Recipe | Steamed Lentil Dumplings [Video]

Nuchchina Unde or Nuchinunde are steamed lentil dumplings from South India. The dumplings are made from mixed lentils and flavored with herbs like curry leaves and dill. The lentil dumplings are vegan and healthy. 

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So, I just read a quote somewhere, "I start my new year resolutions in February, January was just a trial month". I'm beginning to believe in that.

I had so many plans for 2019 and it has been slowly going down the drain. January may have well been my most hectic and tiring month of all time. I had planned to go off sugar, something I've been wanting to do for so long. But I just caved it once the stress rose. Guilty as charged, I am a stress eater and when stressed I crave chocolate, like any other woman on the planet. So yes, I gave in to my chocolate cravings. It also did not help that a colleague of mine got me special candy because I helped him shop last time he was over in India. How does one just ignore such a nice gesture. Very soon 1 candy turned to 20 and I had no control over myself. I had to send the bag over to my sisters. Multiple weddings in January didn't help either. February just started today, let's hope I make this one count.

I had also resolved to blog more. But I've actually been blogging less than ever. It's not that I haven't had the time. It's just been one of those fortnights where I want to crawl into bed and watch reruns of TV shows. Currently hooked on to My Kitchen Rules and Come Dine with Me. 

So what have you been up to recently? How was January? 

So for all the sugar I ate in January, I'm trying to compensate with these healthy steamed lentil dumplings. It suits all sorts of diets - vegan, plant based, high protein, low fat etc. So you really have no excuse not to try it. If you thought just because it fit all those diets, it does not have flavor, think again! Because if you are a dill lover like me, this one is all Dilly. Pun unintended. 

These nucchina unde or lentil dumplings were a breakfast my mom used to make. The first time I tried them I fell in love with them. To make the dumplings, you need to soak mixed lentils for a few hours. You can also leave them soaking overnight. Then drain and grind them coarse. Add in the dill along with coconut, ginger and chilly for added flavor. Shape into dumplings and steam until done. And if you aren't in such a healthy mood, just deep fry them to make Masala Vadas. Tastes great both ways.

No matter how you make it, don't forget to serve it along with spicy Chutney.

If you made this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment here or on Facebook,  tag your tweet with @oneteaspoonlife on Twitter and don't forget to tag your photo #oneteaspoonoflife on Instagram. You can also email me at onetspoflife@gmail.com I'd love to see what you are upto.

If you like this recipe, do not forget to share it with your friends and family! 

You can follow One Teaspoon Of Life on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and Google+ or you can subscribe to One Teaspoon Of Life and receive all the latest updated via Email

Video Recipe

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Nuchina Unde Recipe

Nuchchina Unde or Nuchinunde are steamed lentil dumplings from South India. The dumplings are made from mixed lentils and flavored with herbs like curry leaves and dill. The lentil dumplings are vegan and healthy.

Recipe Type:  Snacks, Breakfast
Cuisine:            South Indian
Prep Time:     4 hours
Cook time:     15 minutes
Total time:     4 Hours 15 Minutes
Yield:                11-12

Ingredients:

0.75 cup Toor Dal or Pigeon Pea lentils
0.5 cup Chana Dal or Split chickpeas
1 cup chopped Dill leaves
1 Green Chilli
0.5 tsp Ginger
5-6 Curry leaves, finely chopped
0.25 cup grated Coconut
A pinch of Asafoetida
Salt to taste

Method:

1. Wash the toor dal and chana dal. Soak the dals in water for 4-6 hours.
2. Drain out the water and coarsely grind the dals without adding any water to the mixer.
3. Remove the dal mixture into a large bowl and add finely chopped green chilli, finely chopped curry leaves, chopped dill leaves, ginger paste, asafoetida (hing) and salt.
4. Mix well until combined and shape into dumplings. If the batter feels watery, add a little besan or chickpea flour.
5. Steam for 10-12 minutes until done.
6. Serve hot with chutney.

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Khaman Dhokla

Mixed Dal Handvo

Battalu Kadabu

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Instant Oats Idli Recipe [Video]

Oats Idli is a steamed cake made of oats and semolina. It is a healthy take on the popular South Indian breakfast of rice idli.

So what have you guys been up to? I know I missed posting last week, but I won't make any excuses. I'm just happy I managed to get a post this week.

But in between we got a lot of new additions to the house. 

In came some mango wood wall shelves that helped us drag out all our travel memoirs. I'm so happy I now get to display all the souvenirs we've collected over the years. If you've missed reading about our recent travels, you can now read them here. 

We also finally got a dining table!!! Since we never ate at the table, I never missed having one. But now that I have one, I love it. We had so many discussions and measurements until we finalized on a teak rectangle four seater. I cannot believe we contradicted each other on pretty much everything about the table - the size, the color, the shape. I wonder how we ever buy anything!! Now all I have to ensure is that the table is clutter free.

Straying back to our recipe of the day - Oats Idli. If you've ever been around a South Indian, you have to know how much we love our idlis. Idlis are light fluffy steamed rice cakes made by steaming a batter made from fermenting ground rice and black lentils. While that is healthy too, I now have a healthier version for you, and on the plus side, a quicker version too. 

Raise your hand if you hate oats but still want to include them in your diet for all the health benefits it gives you. That is exactly what inspired me to make these idlis. Raj hates oats, he'll only eat them if he doesn't know it is in the dish. So these oat idlis were the perfect place to hide them. These idlis are made with oats and semolina (cream of wheat) instead of the rice and lentils. Sour yogurt or curd is used to give it the slightly fermented taste. 

To make the idlis light and fluffy, I used Fruit Salt or Eno. To ensure that you don't end up with hard idlis, always have the steamer hot and ready for steaming before adding in the fruit salt to the batter. Once you add the fruit salt, don't over mix, just make sure it is combined and add it to the plate or bowl you want to steam the idlis in.

While I used rolled oats this time, I have made it in the past with oat meal too. Use either one of them to get the same results - Soft fluffy healthy Oats idlis. Serve them with traditional coconut chutney and piping hot sambar for best results.

Psst... All the pics in this photo are clicked on our new table :)


If you made this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment here or on Facebook,  tag your tweet with @oneteaspoonlife on Twitter and don't forget to tag your photo #oneteaspoonoflife on Instagram. You can also email me at onetspoflife@gmail.com I'd love to see what you are upto.

If you like this recipe, do not forget to share it with your friends and family! 

You can follow One Teaspoon Of Life on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and Google+ or you can subscribe to One Teaspoon Of Life and receive all the latest updated via Email

Video Recipe

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Oats Idli Recipe

Oats idli is a steamed cake made from oats and semolina. It is a healthier version of the popular south Indian breakfast of rice idli. This is an instant recipe and does not require any fermenting.

Recipe Type:  Breakfast
Cuisine:            South Indian
Prep Time:     30 minutes
Cook time:     15 minutes
Total time:     45 minutes
Yield:                10 idlis

Ingredients:

1 cup rolled Oats or Oat meal
0.5 cup fine Semolina (chiroti rava) or cream of wheat
1 cup sour Yogurt or curd
0.75 cup grated Carrot
2 Tbsp chopped Coriander leaves
10-12 Cashewnuts
1.5 Tbsp Oil
1 tsp Mustard seeds
1 finely chopped Green Chilli
1 Tbsp Chana Dal
1.5 tsp Fruit Salt or Eno
1 Tbsp chopped Curry leaves
Salt to taste
Water as required

Method:

1. Powder the oats until smooth.
2. Heat 1 Tbsp oil in a pan and add mustard seeds.
3. Once they splutter, add in chopped curry leaves and chana dal. Saute for 30-45 seconds.
4. Add in split cashew nuts and fry until the cashews brown slightly.
5. Add the semolina and saute for 4-5 minutes until the semolina is fragrant.
6. Add in the powdered oats and fry for 2-3 minutes.
7. Remove from heat and allow to cool completely.
8. Add grated carrot, chopped coriander leaves, salt and whisked yogurt to the dry ingredients.
9. Mix well and keep aside for 10-15 minutes. If the batter feels very dry, add a little water. The consistency of the batter is slightly thicker than usual idli batter.
10. Heat up the steamer and grease the idli plate or small bowls.
11. Add the fruit salt and a little water and mix well until combined.
12. Pour spoonful of batter onto the greased idli plate or bowls.
13. Steam for 10-12 minutes.
14. Demould and serve hot with chutney or sambhar.

If you liked this, you may also like:

Paddu

Rava Idli

Battalu Kadabu

Read more ...

Battalu Kadabu Recipe | Steamed Rice Cups [Video Recipe]

Steamed bowl shaped dumplings made from rice semolina. Vegan and gluten free!

Does Breakfast excite you? Are you a cereal from a box person or someone who likes to cook an elaborate first meal of the day? Or a mix of both?

I believe I am a mix of both. There are days when I prefer just bread butter or a simple Coriander Chutney Sandwich, and there are others where I like to put in my love and effort into my favorite meal of the day. Especially on weekends. And this "Battalu Kadabu" has usually been on my weekend breakfast menu, because I believed it took time to make it, until now. I made this on a weekday and actually timed it. And it took me 50 minutes from start to finish to make this and it fed 4 people. And I believe I even ended up taking 50 minutes because I attempted to shoot a video while cooking it. But I don't believe I will make this on a weekday again because I never have that much time to spare on a regular weekday morning, but I definitely don't mind eating them.

So what is this Battalu Kadabu. "Battalu" means bowl in Kannada and "Kadabu" is usually a steamed dumpling. So this dumpling is called so cause it is shaped like a bowl. I learnt this recipe from my mother in law.  It took me a few tries to get it right. 

This dumpling is made with rice semolina. It can also be made with rice flour, but I prefer the rice semolina version that I am sharing. Rice semolina is cooked in boiling water to make the dough. The dough should be slightly sticky and pliable. It should not crumble, if you want to shape the kadabus. If you are struggling to shape it like a bowl, just shape them like little discs. The taste will not differ with the shape.

I love this Battalu Kadabu because it is light. It does not fill me up to the brim and make me sluggish all day. It is vegan and gluten free. Serve it warm with a good spicy coconut chutney like this tondekai chutney made from ivy gourds or heerekai sippe chutney made from ridge gourd. If you are not vegan, fill up these rice cups with some golden ghee, it is delicious.

If you made this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment here or on Facebook, tag your tweet with @oneteaspoonlife on Twitter and don't forget to tag your photo #oneteaspoonoflife on Instagram. You can also email me at onetspoflife@gmail.com. I'd love to see what you are upto. 

If you like this recipe, do not forget to share it with your friends and family! 

You can follow One Teaspoon Of Life on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and Google+ or you can subscribe to One Teaspoon Of Life and receive all the latest updated via Email

Video Recipe

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Battalu Kadabu

Steamed dumpling made of rice semolina (rava), eaten as a breakfast in Mangalore along with Ghee and coconut Chutney.

Recipe Type:  Breakfast
Cuisine:          South Indian / Mangalorean
Prep Time:     5 minutes
Cook time:     50 minutes
Yield:              28-30

Ingredients:

2 cups Rice Semolina (Akki Tari)
4 cups Water
0.5 tsp Salt
2 Tbsp desiccated Coconut
2 tsp Oil (to grease steamer)

Method:

1. Heat the water in a kadhai or deep pan.
2. Add the salt and coconut. Allow the water to come to a rolling boil.
3. Slowly add the rice semolina while stirring continuously to avoid forming lumps.
4. Keep stirring and cook it until everything comes together as one mass. This may take 5-6 minutes.
5. Remove from heat onto a dry plate and allow it to cool slightly.
6. Knead it for 3-4 mins, if it feels dry, add a little water and knead.
7. Pull out a small lemon sized ball and flatten it. Using your fingers make a small depression in the center and continue to gently press the edges to make a bowl shape. See video for reference.
8. If you are struggling to make the shape, just flatten them into little discs.
9. Grease the steamer plate.
10. Place them in a steamer and steam for 5-7 mins
11. Enjoy it while its hot with some spicy coconut chutney.

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