Ghenda da adde / Nesel Adde / Cucumber Cake

I know , doesn't look appetizing for those who don't know what it is.....but for those who do.....its a delicacy..

Nesel adde  also know as Ghenda da Adde is a very famous sweet dish for us Mangaloreans. Ghenda   in Tulu means coal and before(in those days) this sweet cake was cooked on low flame with coal on top which gave it an unique taste...but nowadays in the city is more convenient to use the gas stove....its so funny...I actually wanted to use coal....but mom refused...she did not want to go through all the trouble ...looks like times are changing :)

Nesel adde / Ghenda da adde taste best when its cooked on very low flame for 1 hour or little more..I love it when the Adde browns nicely outside. I have also put up a video just to guide you through the process. This can also be baked in an oven.

Ingredients

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• 2 cup rice (dosa rice)
• 1 medium cucumber(skinned and chopped)
• 1/4 tsp methi (fenugreek seeds)
• 1 cup coconut
• 1/2 jaggery (adjust to taste)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 medium onion( chopped)
• 1/2 cup ghee
• 2 tbsp cahew
• 2 tbsp raisin

Method

1. Soak rice and methi in water for 3 hours.
2. Grind rice, methi , jaggery, coconut and cucmber to a slightly coarse batter  adding little water(dosa batter consistency). Check sweetness, add more jaggery if you like it sweet.
3. Place a pressure cooker on medium flame , when hot add ghee,swirl the cooker around to grease the side of the cooker with ghee(by doing this you will be able to remove the whole adde out of the cooker easily), when ghee is hot add chopped onion and fry till they turn dark brown. Now add cashew nuts and raisins an stir for few seconds.
4. Add the batter and mix, add 1/2 cup water. mix well and lower the flame. Cover the cooker. Do not use the pressure weight, place a steel tumbler on the spout from where the steam escapes, By doing this the moisture is retained.
5. Cook the Adde on very low flame for 1 hour.
6. Check after 45 minutes to see if the Adde is done by piercing with a wet knife. If any batter sticks to the knife ,cover a cook again for few more minutes. 
7. once the Adde is done, let it cool down for few minutes, loosen the sides and and remove it from the cooker, cut to desires shape and serve (you can also warm the Adde in the microwave)