Puttu (Steamed rice cake with coconut stuffing)

This is the most popular and authentic Kerala breakfast item liked by everyone as it suits both the sweet loving as well as spice loving people. It is a very healthy dish as not a drop of oil is needed to make this .It is also very simple to prepare and needs very less ingredients ,time and effort.Puttu is usually cooked in a metal puttu kutti vessel with two sections. The lower section holds water and the upper section holds the puttu - where the rice mixture is inserted with layers of grated coconut. Perforated lids separate the sections to allow the steam to pass between them. In older times people in Kerala used bamboo pieces instead of the metal upper section of the vessel.

An alternative steaming vessel is the chiratta puttu made of a coconut shell or of metal shaped similarly to a coconut shell.

Tips: The more the coconut, the more the taste and softness.

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS:

• Puttu podi- 2 cups
• Salt as needed.
• Water
• Grated Coconut- 1 cup (As we do not usually get good coconuts with our authentic taste here, I buy and use frozen coconut. And for me there is a favourite brand for it as that gives a fresh grated texture, it is available only in selected Indian grocery stores,otherwise you can use Deep or Swad but as those are moist type it is good for gravies only according to my opinion. coconut powder and coconut flakes are other options but that also would not give the authentic taste for the dish )
• Puttu maker

How to prepare :
Step 1:Prepare the puttu mix.
In a vessel take the puttu powder, sprinkle some salt on it and mix well with hands. Add water spoon by spoon and continue mixing with hands till the mix is smooth to touch . The correct consistency is ,when you take a spoonful of the powder in your hands and made to a small bal it should stand firm .But its should be too soggy or watery or dough type. It should be in crumbled powder form only. Add the 3/4 cup grated to it and again mix well.Keep aside for about half an hour.

Step2:  Fill the puttu kudam (The lower vessel part of the puttu maker ) with water to one fourth of its height. Allow it to boil. Meanwhile take the puttu kutti (The upper cylindrical part of the puttu maker), put the holed mould into it and fix it at the bottom of the puttu kutti with a spoon. Add 1/4 spoon grated coconut on the mould , add 3 handfuls of the prepared powder to form a layer on the coconut, again layer 1/4 spoon grated coconut above it. Repeat the layering till the top of the puttu kutti. Cover with its small lid . When the steam starts comign out of the cylindrical puttu kutti note the time. Keep for another 15 minutes. Switch off the flame. Take the puttu kutti out, keep it out for 5 minutes. Then open the lid and push the mould along with the cooked puttu with a long spoon handle or a chopstick.

Step 3: Serving
Puttu is frequently served with various breakfast dishes. In TamilNadu  it is served with grated coconut with either palm or sugarcane jaggery or else with sweetened coconut milk. In Kerala with pappadam, yellow Kerala plantain, chicken curry (Recipe in my blog), kadala curry (I have given in my blog) and potato stew.