Tawsuli/Sweet rice cake

Sounds weird? I dint name it. Never heard before? You’re not from Bhatkal.

Tawsuli or if I would break it down for you as the sweet rice cake is a special Bhatkali cuisine prepare during weddings with cooked sweetened rice called sakramji.

For those of you searching for gluten free cake or eggless cakes here is something for you. The recipe of this rice cake is pretty straight forward and simple. But needs a lot of stamina as continuous stirring needs to be done non-stop. Let’s go through it step by step.

Heat oil in a big heavy bottom vessel and fry two cardamoms. (I have used a pressure cooker)

Add the washed rice to the ghee. (Do NOT soak the rice)

Roast the rice in the ghee till it turns a deep golden colour. This will take 5-7 minutes.

Add 1 cup of sugar to rice and keep roasting for 1 minute.

To this add 2 ½ cups water and pressure cook till done. Or else cook on open flame till all the rice cooks and moisture evaporates.

Once the rice is cooked add 1 whole finely grated cucumber. No, it’s not an optional step. Somehow the name tawsuli comes from cucumber being present in it.

The next main ingredient going into this will be the coconut milk. I have beaten 2 cups of coconut milk powder with 2 cups of water and added to the cooked rice cucumber mixture. Optionally you can also use thick fresh coconut milk. Add ¼ tsp salt and 1 tbsp rose water.

Now comes the time to test your patience. Cook Cook cook. Stir Stir Stir. Till the milk reduces. Thickens.  And the whole mixture comes together as a lump. It took me around 40 minutes (Phew). Then in goes 1 more cup of sugar. And the moisture increases and you cook it again and reduce it further. At this point, I did add a tad bit of yellow colour. Avoid it if you must.

I also did add a whole egg. This will just give crispier cake. If you want to go eggless, feel free, you won’t notice the difference. The third optional step is a 2-3 tbsp of almond paste/ powder. This is to give the extra rich taste.

Once this is done, the mixture must be really really dry. Transfer the whole mixture into a greased 10” non-stick baking dish. Flatten the cake with the back of a spoon. 

Pop it into a pre-heated oven at 175°C for 25- 30 minutes till the edges go dark brown. If the upper crust hasn't turned golden brown yet, grill it for 5 minutes on high till a crisp golden shell is formed.

Serve it warm.

This recipe serves 15 people and provides approximately 200 calories per serving.

Here is what you’ll need:

1 cup basmati rice / (locally used -“girsal” rice)

2 cups sugar 

1 tbsp ghee

1 cucumber

2 cups coconut milk powder

2 cardamoms

1 tbsp rose water

¼ tsp salt

3 tbsp almond paste/ powder (optional)

1 egg ( optional)

Artificial colouring (optional)

Method:

1. Roast one cup of washed basmati rice in 1 tbsp of ghee with 2 cardamoms.
2. Once the rice turns golden brown add 1 cup sugar and roast for 1 minute.
3. Pressure cook/ Cook on open flame the rice with 2 ½ cups water.
4. Grate 1 cucumber and add to it.
5. Mix 2 cups of coconut milk powder with 2 cups water and add to the rice.
6. Add a tbsp of rose water and a ¼ tsp salt.
7. Cook till most of the moisture evaporates and add the other cup of sugar.
8. Cook till further reduced.
9. Optional to add an egg, almond powder or artificial colour.
10. Cook till completely dry and transfer into a greased 10” non-stick baking tray.
11. Bake in pre-heated oven at 175°C for 30 minutes or till golden brown.
12. Serve warm .

 Recipe by Zohra Sada