Tavsali

Saraswats love using fruits like vegetables and vegetables like fruit , hence this traditional dish.Tavsali or Dhondas is basically a steamed cucumber cake. In the west people relish cakes / muffins made with vegetables like carrots and zucchini. Here is our very own traditional counterpart. The cucumbers used are the large variety , the seeds to be carefully avoided.

2 cups grated cucumber/kheera/kakdi,1 and 1/2 cups grated jaggery or sugar,1 and 1/4 cup rava/sooji/semolina,1 cup dessicated or finely  grated coconut,2 green cardamoms ground,2 tbsp chopped cashews,

pinch of salt.

Roast rava (dry or in 1 tsp butter/ghee) and cool.Mix all the rest of the ingredients and beat well , pour the batter in a 8 x 8inch baking pan.Preheat oven to 350 F / and bake the cake in the oven for 30 minutes till cooked .Cool and cut into squares.Can be served hot or at room temperature.