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A soft, moist steamed cake from Goa made with grated cucumber, semolina, and jaggery. This unique, healthy dessert has a delicate sweetness and a lovely cardamom aroma, perfect for breakfast or an evening snack.
For 6 servings
Prepare Cucumber and Rava (5 minutes)
Make and Rest the Batter (20 minutes)
Steam the Cake (25 minutes)
A soft, moist steamed cake from Goa made with grated cucumber, semolina, and jaggery. This unique, healthy dessert has a delicate sweetness and a lovely cardamom aroma, perfect for breakfast or an evening snack.
This goan recipe takes 45 minutes to prepare and yields 6 servings. At 385.5 calories per serving with 7.06g of protein, it's a beginner-friendly recipe perfect for breakfast or snack or dessert.
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Check for Doneness and Cool (30 minutes)
Slice and Serve
For a slightly denser and different texture, you can replace 1/4 cup of rava with 1/4 cup of rice flour.
Instead of cashews, you can garnish with chopped almonds, pistachios, or even add some raisins to the batter.
While jaggery is traditional, you can substitute it with an equal amount of grated palm sugar or brown sugar if jaggery is unavailable.
A pinch of grated nutmeg can be added along with the cardamom powder for a warmer spice profile.
The combination of semolina (rava), a complex carbohydrate, and jaggery provides a steady release of energy, making it an excellent snack to combat midday slumps.
Cucumber has high water content, which helps in keeping the body hydrated. Even after squeezing, the pulp retains moisture that benefits the body.
Jaggery is an unrefined sugar that retains minerals like iron, magnesium, and potassium. Fresh coconut provides healthy fats and minerals like manganese.
A mature, yellow cucumber (often called a cooking cucumber or 'kakdi' in Konkani) is traditionally used. It has less water content and a milder flavor, which works perfectly for this cake. If unavailable, you can use regular green cucumbers, but make sure to squeeze out the water very well.
Tavsali is a relatively healthy snack compared to fried foods or cakes made with refined flour and sugar. It is steamed, not fried, and uses jaggery, which contains more minerals than refined sugar. The cucumber and coconut add fiber and nutrients.
A single slice of Tavsali (approximately 135g) contains around 280-320 calories. The exact count depends on the amount of jaggery, coconut, and ghee used.
Yes, you can easily make it vegan. Simply use a neutral vegetable oil or coconut oil instead of ghee for greasing the tin.
Store Tavsali in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. For longer storage, you can refrigerate it for up to 4-5 days. It tastes best when served at room temperature.
This recipe goes great with these complete meals
A classic Goan-style stir-fry, known as 'fugath', featuring succulent prawns and crisp-tender cabbage. This quick and easy dish is tempered with mustard seeds and curry leaves, and finished with fresh coconut for a light, flavorful, and healthy weeknight meal.
A classic Goan delicacy featuring fresh clams cooked in a semi-dry, spiced coconut masala. This dish perfectly balances spicy, tangy, and sweet flavors, bringing the taste of the Goan coast to your table.
A comforting Goan-style curry where eggs are gently poached in a fragrant, tangy coconut gravy. This coastal classic is quick to make and pairs beautifully with steamed rice for a wholesome meal.
A classic Goan vegetarian curry featuring tender white peas simmered in a fragrant, roasted coconut and spice masala. This tangy and savory dish is a coastal favorite, perfect with Goan pav or steamed rice.
