Name: Thaushe Muddo/Idli (Steamed Sweet Cucumber Cakes)
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 1 cup rice rawa/rava/semolina (get store bought or make your own; check notes for details); ½ cup jaggery powder; ½ cup grated coconut (fresh or frozen but thawed); 1 cup grated cucumber (peel if it has a thick skin); Pinch of salt

Thaushe Muddo/Idli - these south Indian steamed rice-cucumber cakes/dumplings are soft, fluffy, sweet, delicious and made with simple ingredients like cucumber, coconut, rice and jaggery (unrefined cane sugar).

Just mix, steam and enjoy! That simple!

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(Scroll through for tips and tricks as well as Step-wise Instructions to make these sweet delights)

With a large haul of fresh cucumbers from a street side vendor, I could not resist making this traditional south Indian dish….my absolute favorite way to enjoy cucumbers albeit in idli or steamed cake form.

Once you make it, these will be your favorite too.

THAUSHE MUDDO/IDLI

Idlis are now well known globally. This South Indian steamed rice-lentil breakfast delight is normally enjoyed as a savory breakfast in most households or in south Indian restaurants around the world.

("Muddo" is the Konkani word for steamed dumplings. This could be in an idli stand or containers or even on plantain or turmeric leaves in any shape).

But there are some sweet varieties of idlis too and this is one of them.

This traditional south Indian cucumber steamed delight, (specifically from the coastal town of Mangalore in the southern state of Karnataka), are sometimes steamed in banana or on turmeric leaves placed in idli containers but can be steamed in plain containers too as access to these leaves is not very common.

Ground/blended soaked and drained rice, coconut and jaggery are mixed along with grated cucumbers and steamed to these soft and fluffy delicious bites.

For ease in cooking, I have used store bought rice rava or rice semolina. Just soak, mix with other ingredients and steam; that easy!

NO BAKING SODA OR ENO SALT NEEDED!

You can make them savory or sweet but with a big sweet tooth, I had to make the sweet version first.

Also, my partner in crime, my Mom, who also has a big sweet tooth, was equally delighted when I served it to her with our evening tea.

Her thumbs up, a pat on my back with a gentle hug and a nod from my husband was enough of an award for me!

All you need are simple pantry ingredients – rice (or rice rava or rice semolina; easily available in Indian stores or online), coconut, jaggery to sweeten things up (more preferable in all our traditional sweetish delights) and of course fresh cucumber.

If you love more flavor, then add green cardamom powder too.

Just mix, steam and enjoy!

INGREDIENTS NEEDED TO MAKE THAUSHE IDLI (definitely in most Indian pantries)

CUCUMBERS – Of course the main ingredient in these idlis; just peel (if thick), grate and use. If using English cucumbers, you can grate it unpeeled.

COCONUT – you will need coconut gratings, fresh or frozen. Coming from the coastal town of Mangalore where coconut groves are prevalent and plenty, using coconut is an everyday affair.

JAGGERY – Traditionally, we have always used jaggery (unrefined cane sugar) to sweeten all our desserts, snacks or sweets like burfis, kheers, payasams etc. Here too, jaggery adds a lovely earthy taste to the idlis. I guess you can try using coconut sugar but I have not tried with that yet.

RICE RAVA or RICE SEMOLINA– I prefer using store bought rice rava/semolina; easily available in any Indian store or online; makes cooking way easier and quicker.

But if you want to make it the traditional way, just soak raw rice, air dry and powder to a coarse semolina texture.

GREEN CARDAMOM – this aromatic, exotice spice, used in all our desserts adds a lovely exotic aroma to any dish! You will need a few pods of green cardamom (peel and powder).

Pinch of salt.

That is it!

(Amount and Step-wise recipe as well as printable recipe card below)

SERVING SUGGESTIONS:

Hot off the stove, these soft and delicious cucumber idlis or thaushe/cucumber muddo as we call it in our local language, taste amazing with ghee drizzled over it (the way my Mom loves it) or you can enjoy it with fresh homemade white butter as well.

But you should try eating it the way I love, with a side of any Indian pickle (great choice for vegans)!

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge; steam again or microwave until warm or hot before enjoying.

Well, we love it so much, I made it again using some fresh turmeric leaves lining the idli container/molds which not only add a lovely aroma but infuses the flavor of this aromatic leaf too!

Do try this easy peasy sweet deliciousness from the south Indian coffers of Indian cuisine. I am sure you and your family will devour it too as did ours.

Happy Cooking/Eating!

If you love idlis, then you must check out these other sweet/savory idlis I make often in my home:

Now, let's see how to make my version of Cucumber Idlis or Thaushe Muddo

Thaushe Muddo/Idli (Steamed Sweet Cucumber Cakes)

These south Indian steamed rice-cucumber cakes/dumplings are soft, fluffy, sweet, delicious and made with simple ingredients like cucumber, coconut, rice and jaggery (unrefined cane sugar). Just mix, steam and enjoy! That simple!

Course Breakfast, Brunch, Snack

Cuisine Indian, Konkani, South Indian

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Servings 6

Author Vanitha Bhat

Ingredients

1 cup rice rawa/rava/semolina get store bought or make your own; check notes for details
½ cup jaggery powder
½ cup grated coconut fresh or frozen but thawed
1 cup grated cucumber peel if it has a thick skin
Pinch of salt

Instructions

Measure 1 cup of rice rawa/semolina in a large mixing bowl, wash well in some water, drain and then add enough water to just cover the rawa/suji.
Rest covered for 20-30 minutes.
After 20-30 minutes you will notice that the rice rava has soaked the water and swelled up a bit.
Now, time to add rest of the ingredients.
Tip in ½ cup grated coconut, ½ cup jaggery powder, 1 cup of grated cucumber and a pinch of salt.
(You can squeeze out the excess water of cucumber and add later on if needed to make the batter; I did not).
Gently mix to form a batter.
(If you feel the batter is too watery, feel free to add add 2-3 tbsp regular rava or semolina or even rice rava if needed. If adding rice rava, rest a few minutes).
Spoon into greased idli moulds and steam in a pressure cooker (without the weight) or in the Instant Pot (Steamer option), for 20 minutes.
Remove from heat, let cool a few minutes and then demould.
Serve warm with a drizzle of ghee, smeared with white homemade butter or the way I love it, with a side of hot and spicy Indian pickle.
Do try this easy Indian snack using the humble cucumber, an everyday vegetable easily available all year round.
Enjoy and Happy Cooking/Eating!

Recipe Notes

If using homemade rice semolina, soak regular rice for a few hours, drain and air dry until dry then blend to a coarse powder before using. I prefer using store bought rice rava as it makes it easier and quicker to make these sweet cucumber delights!
Use regular cucumbers (but peel the thick skin) or if using English cucumbers, grate them with the skin.
Adjust the amount of jaggery or sweetener according to personal taste.
If the batter is too watery, feel free to add a tablespoon or two of more rice semolina (but take care to soak it up a few minute) or even regular semolina too.
For more flavor, you can use either banana leaves or turmeric leaves in each idli mold (line the molds before pouring the batter) to imbibe the flavor and nutrition of those leaves.
Serve warm with ghee/butter or just some spicy chutney or pickle on the side.
Enjoy and Happy Cooking/Eating!

Do check out the step-wise instructions too below.

SAVE/PIN here for later:

STEP-WISE INSTRUCTIONS TO MAKE THAUSHE MUDDO/CUCUMBER SWEET IDLI:

Measure 1 cup rice rawa in a large mixing bowl, wash well in some water, drain and then add enough water to just cover the rawa/suji. Rest covered for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes you will notice that the rice rava has soaked the water and swelled up a bit.

Now, time to add rest of the ingredients.

Tip in ½ cup grated coconut, ½ cup jaggery powder, 1 cup of grated cucumber and a pinch of salt.

Gently mix to form a batter.

(If you feel the batter is too watery, feel free to add add 2-3 tbsp regular rava or semolina or even rice rava if needed). If adding rice rava, rest a few minutes).