Gavvalu

Although it looks similar to Italian gnocchi, and is prepared the same way by rolling the dough on a wooden board with stripes, Gavvalu is an Indian dessert that was born in Andhra Pradesh. Gavvalu is the Telugu word for sweet shells, and resembles snails’ shells in appearance. It's made using flour, ghee, baking soda, jaggery, cardamom powder, salt to taste, water, and oil to fry. It is made by flattening dough on a special mould with stripes which is then rolled into shells and soaked in sugar or jaggery syrup. It works well as a dessert and as an evening snack with tea or coffee.

There are several variations of the dish, like the sugar Gavvalu and the jaggery-based Bellam Gavvalu. When prepared as a spicy dish, it’s called Karam Gavvalu. Kidyo is another similar-looking dessert made during Christmas in Goa, Mangalore, and parts of Maharashtra.

The jaggery that it is dipped in comes with several health benefits. Essentially, it cleanses the entire body. It improves digestion and relieves constipation, prevents anaemia because of its high iron content, and improves the overall immune system by detoxifying the body. It's also a great alternative to sugar since it balances blood sugar levels, thereby aiding weight loss.