Giving up sugar is difficult for most of us. Although we are well aware of the health hazards posed by refined sugar, cutting it out completely is easier said than done. A common practice is to replace sugar with jaggery in common preparations. However, if you are not used to the constant taste of jaggery, this substitution seems far from appealing. Moreover, in some dishes, jaggery in place of sugar tastes extremely weird. Hence, before you try experimenting, why not start with recipes originally made with jaggery? Indian cuisine has a wide variety of lip-smacking sweets which have been made for decades, if not centuries with natural jaggery. Most of these regional delicacies are simple yet flavourful and do not rely on complex techniques. One such sweet you must try is dhonda.
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Many traditional Indian sweets are primarily jaggery-based. Photo Credit: Pixabay
Dhonda is believed to have originated near the western coast of India and can be described as a type of cucumber cake. This delicacy is known by other names such as Tavsali (in Goa) and Kakadiche Sandan (in Maharashtra). It is also popular in parts of Karnataka. Some traditional recipes dictate that dark green cucumber (which is usually available only in the rainy season) can be used for making this sweet. However, it can easily be made using the cucumbers available year-round, provided that they are not bitter. Dhonda or Tavsali is extremely simple to make and can be steamed or baked. Made without refined sugar or flour, it is as healthy as it is delicious.
(Also Read: Replace Sugar With Jaggery In Your Tea For These Amazing Health Benefits)
How To Make Dhondas | Goan Tavsali | Kakadiche Sandan | Steamed Cucumber Cake
Peel and grate cucumbers without draining out their water. This is kept in order to lend the cake a certain degree of freshness. In a pan with ghee, lightly roast rava. Then add the grated cucumber, coconut, jaggery, cardamom powder and a pinch of salt. Stir continuously to mix the ingredients well. Continue until the jaggery melts. Taste the mixture and add more jaggery if you prefer. Allow it to cool for 45 minutes to an hour. Later, boil water in a large, thick-bottomed vessel. In a baking tin/ similar vessel smaller than this, add ghee and/or butter paper to cover all sides. Transfer the cucumber-jaggery mix into this, add dry fruits and spread evenly. Place this tin into the boiler/ steamer you have made with the other vessel. Cover with a lid and cook on a low to medium flame for around 25 minutes. Let the sweet mixture cool before transferring it to another tray. Cut into square or rectangular pieces and garnish with almonds. Your dhonda or Kakadiche Sandan is ready to be relished!
Click here for the full recipe for Kakadiche Sandan.
This dish beautifully combines the freshness of cucumber and coconut with the organic sweetness of jaggery. Try making this sweet at home and let us know how you like it!
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