Puttu is a very common and popular breakfast dish or dinner in South India especially in Kerala and Tamilnadu as well as in some parts of Sri Lanka. It is specially made in a puttu maker. Puttu maker is a steamer which is cylindrical in shape and is available at any super market.
Puttu can be prepared with any variety of flour which includes rice flour, wheat flour, Corn flour, Ragi flour or even Rava. Rice flour Puttu/Ari Puttu is made with rice flour and coconut. It consists of firm cylinders of steamed ground rice with layers of coconut and is served with sweet banana ( specially cheru pazham), sugar or chickpea curry or egg curry or chicken curry.
INGREDIENTS:
- Rice Flour (Puttu podi) - 2 cups
- Warm water - 3/4 cup
- Salt
- Grated coconut - 1/2 cup
- Roast Rice Flour (Puttu podi) in a pan on medium flame.
- Transfer it to a mixing bowl and allow it to cool.
- Mix little salt with water. The water should be a little salty when tasted.
- Slowly sprinkle water over the rice powder and mix using your hands.
- You should sprinkle water on the rice powder and start mixing it so as to make the powder wet.
- Keep on sprinkling water and continue mixing, till u can make lumps when you clasp but which can be easily crumbled.
- Mix till the right moisture content. The flour shouldnt be powdery.
- If you want, after the mixture has enough moisture, you can run it in a grinder for a few seconds so that there are no lumps.
- Puttu is made in a special vessel called Puttu Kutti which is placed on top of another vessel called Puttu Kudam.
- Add water to PuttuKudam, not more than half its capacity.
- Place a handful of grated coconut in the Puttukutty and then add the rice mixture till half, now add another handful of grated coconut.
- Continue adding rice mixture and top it with some coconut.
- Close the lid and place the PuttuKutti on the PuttuKuddam and steam the Puttu for about 10-12 minutes.
- Now Ari puttu is ready.
- Enjoy it with Mutta Curry( Egg Curry) or Kadala Curry ( Chickpeas Curry) or Fish Curry or Chicken curry or Bananas or Pappadam or simply with plain sugar and ghee.
