“Sweet-&-Spicy Taushe’ Muddo (Cucumber Dumplings)” prepared in turmeric leaves and plate …a delicious delicacy from GSB Konkani Saraswat Cuisine often prepared during monsoon when large sized cucumbers are available ... they have a unique taste and aroma of their own and taste wonderful when prepared using turmeric leaves/ haldi paan ... the aroma of turmeric leaves is simply irresistible, do try it, sure to be loved by young and old alike, especially children ... Yummilicious …
** Come monsoon and plenty of large sized cucumber/ taushe’ are available in plenty. These have a unique taste of their own and taste great when prepared as muddo/ dumplings and in my home it’s a must every season at twice in a month. Both spiced and sweet ones can be prepared using them and I always make it a point to prepare a few sweet ones though the preference is always for spicy dishes. This is a traditional dish from GSB Konkani Saraswat Cuisine usually prepared as khotto/ jackfruit leaf baskets or on turmeric leaf which again is available in plenty during the monsoon.
** The spiced version can be just relished topped with a little bit of melting butter or chutney if desired. The sweeter one’s are usually served topped with fresh homemade ghee for best in taste. As these are steamed they turn out that much more a healthier choice for breakfast or as a snack too. Children who come home hungry from school always find this a welcome sight to relish especially the sweeter ones. Do give these a try and enjoy them with family, there is absolutely no need to worry if turmeric leaves are not available you can always prepare them a cake tin or bowl or vati too, check more options in this blog.
** Here is my very own recipe for preparing “Sweet-&-Spicy Taushe’ Muddo (Cucumber Dumplings)” … my style, do try it out, its delicious …
** I have used one large sized cucumber/ taushe for this recipe. Wash, slice off both sides and grate the cucumber either with the skin on or you can peel off the same too. Let rest for 10 minutes, to allow the excess water to leave side. Now collect the water in a cup and keep aside the gratings. In all I had about 3-4 cups of the finely grated cucumber and about one cup of the cucumber water from one large sized cucumber.
** Add 1 heaped cup of freshly grated coconut (soyi/ nariyal) in a mixer grinder with the collected cucumber water and grind to a smooth paste adding in water only if necessary only. Remove and add this into a bowl along with about 3-4 cups of Bombay Rava/ Rulav, the kept aside cucumber gratings and mix well.
** Add in more water as is necessary to get a soft bhakri textured mixture. Cover the prepared mixture and keep it aside for the rava to soak in the moisture and get softened, say about 20- 30 minutes (a must procedure, do not skip). Meanwhile let us prepare the other ingredients required for preparing sweet and spicy muddo.
** Add 1 inch chopped ginger (alle’/ adrak), 5-6 green chillies (tarni mirsanga/ hari mirchi, a few curry leaves (kadipatta/ karbevu) into a mixer grinder and grind to a coarse paste with just a little bit of water. The ground paste need not be very fine. Remove and keep this ready aside in a separate bowl. Also grate about 150 gms of jaggery (goda/ bella/ gud) and keep it also separately aside for sweet muddo.
** Check out prepared cucumber mixture, if you find it has soaked up all water, turned too dry, then add some more water and mix well. However, if using turmeric leaf/ banana leaves for steaming keep it thicker in texture as if not done so then it will leave out water from sides if in excess, and the final outcome will not be good.
** Divide the soaked and rested cucumber- rava mixture as per your requirement/ need to prepare both the spicy and sweet versions. I set aside about 2-3 cups of the prepared mixture for preparation of sweeter ones and used the rest for spicy version. Now add the ground ginger chilly paste to the remaining along with salt (namak/ meeta) to taste, a little bit of hing (asafoetida) powder if desired and mix well.
** Add the grated jaggery and ½ tsp of cardamom (ellu/ ellaichi) powder, pinch of salt (namak/ meeta) to the mixture kept aside to prepare sweet ones and mix well. Keep both the prepared mixtures in separate bowl aside until we prepare the turmeric leaves for steaming. Meanwhile keep the Pedavana/ Idly steamer/ steaming vessel on high heat with required amount of water in it and bring to a full steam.
** Note : The mixture on resting soaks well and absorbs moisture, if too dry you can add some water later after checking if necessary while preparing. We need the texture to be such that, there should be absolutely no trace of water leaving through the sides as we are going to use banana leaves here for steaming and not vati/ molds. Molds hold in water intact while steaming while the banana leaves will not and the masala water while steaming should not leak out through the openings which will not only turn into a mess but may remain uncooked within the center of the muddo too.
** Wash turmeric leaf, cut both side edges, retaining required size of leaf, I cut them smaller as I prefer using my smaller pedavana/ steamer. Now arrange the turmeric leaves on table/ platform (as shown in picture collage). Do not cut uneven pieces, see to it that they are equal in size for even steaming of the muddo. Take in a large handful of the mixture and put it in the center of each square of the leaves (as shown in picture collage). Leave out about ½” space on all four side. Now flip over and fold the leaf forming a semi circle shape (as shown in picture collage) pressing it lightly to hold on well.
** Note : I have shared in a link below of muddo where in there are step by step pictures included, which will help you understand the procedure better if you are a newbie. I have also included steps in collage here of the same too for reference. Do check it out thoroughly before you begin with laying them.
** Prepare and keep both spicy and sweet versions of muddo in turmeric leaf in similar pattern and keep ready aside. You can either prepare all as muddo in turmeric leaf if you have plenty of them or you can prepare the remaining mixture as Idly in smaller or larger vati/ plate etc. and cut them to square too as is the pattern I followed coz. I did not have more leaf. You can also use banana leaf/ teak/ badam leaf for the same. If you go through the common link shared below you will find plenty of options.
** Note : If using vati/ plate etc. remember to grease them before adding prepared mixture. You can use any oil of your choice, however ghee tastes the best and I use cow’s ghee. You can also apply a thin film of melted gheel to the turmeric leaf before placing the mixture too, it gives a lovely smooth texture and is flavorful too.
** Keep steaming vessel/ pedavan with required amount of water and bring to a boil. When you see steam passing, keep a flat plate or the divider plate of the vessel and then place the prepared prepared muddo in turmeric leaves one by one neatly on a row the open side facing upwards (as shown in picture collage). Take care and handle them gently as the sides are open and the mixture should not come out of it.
** Be careful of steam, as a cautionary measure lower the heat to minimum when you place the packets. When you place them see to it that the upper folds are placed as bottom side, as this will help the packets to be tightly covered and there are no chances of them opening up. Once a single row of turmeric leaf packets are placed cover steamer with lid, increase the heat to high and cook for 3-4 minutes.
** Now, lower the heat to medium and let cook for another 10 mins. Once again lower the heat to minimum and open the lid and place the remaining prepared packets in similar manner as a second layer this time placing them in slight titled 40 deg. angle to the first one. Cover the lid, raise the heat and cook on high for 3-4 minutes, then lower the heat to medium and cook all together for another 15-20 minutes.
** When done remove from fire, open the lid and let the steam pass away for a minute. Then gently with the help of long flat spatula or tongs lift each muddo gently and place them on a wide plate and let it cool down of a few minutes after which you can serve the same. Prepare rest of the muddo in similar manner if any. You can use the same banana leaves again if need be to, by removing the prepared once when cooled.
** Note : It is important NOT TO PLACE ALL PREPARED MUDDO PACKETS in one go in two layers as then all will not get steamed within properly. Always steam the single layer of muddo packets first for about 10 minutes, then place the rest and continue to steam. This method is used in case of all types of muddo where is leaves are used as mold packing. Also to not try 3 or 4 th layers unless you have a large steamer, it is better to prepare 2 layered in 2 sets in case you need more muddo to be prepared.
** For steaming the one’s prepared in vati/ plate, place them in Idly steamer/ pedavana in stacks using dividers as is required and steam on high heat for 5-8 minutes, then lower the heat and further steam for another 20 minutes/ until done depending upon the quantity and the size of the steamer.
** For serving you just need to gently open up the turmeric leaves and then gently remove the muddo from it, which will have been well steam cooked as a single large piece dumpling. You can either cut them into 2” pieces or larger and serve it or as per your choice, we usually serve it as it is in single pieces. That is the very reason some people use smaller square cuts of the leaves to get appropriate sizes. Similarly, loosen the muddo prepared invati/ plate all round the inner rim of the mold, gently flip over and pat from behind to allow it come out in one go. Again if large in size you can cut them to pieces.
** “Sweet-&-Spicy Taushe’ Muddo (Cucumber Dumplings)” prepared both in turmeric leaves and plate are done and ready to be served. Serve sweet ones drizzled on top with loni (butter) or toop (ghee) and spiced ones with coconut chutney or butter for best taste. In GSB Konkani Saraswat homes we serve them either for breakfast or tiffin in the evening especially when children come home hungry from school, it tastes wonderful, is very healthy and filling too, try it sure to be loved by all.
** These muddo's contain all the required spices or sweetness within them and really do not need anything else to served along with them. However, it is a matter of individual choice as many like to dunk them in chutney or with a dash of butter, which enhances its taste. If not chutney it can be served with pickle or any mildly spiced curry too depending off course on it spice level, the choice is definitely yours.
** Do try these out and enjoy with your family and friends. You can carry them in your lunch box or on short travels too. In case of lack of time, you can either prepare and keep the mixture in fridge and steam whenever required as it stays good overnight too or you can steam it and put it in airtight container in fridge and microwave and serve them whenever needed,. Steamed ones remain good for 48 hours.
** Note : If you do not have turmeric leaves or they are not available in your vicinity, you can prepare them any molds too. You can use, Idly vati, large flat vessel, Jackfruit leaves basket, banana leaves, paper cup with jackfruit leaves method or you can put it in a bowl which is covered on the base with jackfruit leaves. Choose any method you prefer. Adding in the links to the same below, do check in for the same.
** Sharing some links below in which I have used different types of molds for steaming. It also includes step by step procedure pictures for more clarity if required. Thanks to all of you for your co-operation always, … Here are the links ….
** You can check out the same recipe prepared using rice rava and in Jackfruit leaf molds too, it tastes wonderful …
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