Oru Puttu vishesham

  















Chirratta puttu, kana puttu, onathinidayile puttu kachavadam....Malayali has plenty of puttu vishesham to tell...Puttu has become a signature breakfast of the Malayalis and has started adorning even the elite urban menus of branded restaurants in various parts of the world...puttu is perhaps one of the most healthy breakfast available..it being just steamed rice flour with no addition of any statistics increasing ingredient except for a little coconut shavings....

Ingredients

Raw Rice (pachari/pachibeeyam)- 1/2 Kg
Grated Coconut - Half a coconut
Water - To sprinkle (For 1 cup flour u may need 3/4 cup water depending on the quality of your rice)
Salt - As required

Method

Soak rice in water for 4 hrs. Drain off the water and grind the softened rice to make very fine powder. Roast the rice flour for 5 minutes. While roasting see to it that u stir continuosly or else there is a likely chance of the flour getting burnt.Allow the fried powder to cool.


Mix salt with water & sprinkle the salted water to the powdered rice just enough to make the powder wet(do not put a lot of water).Mix the flour well such that it doesnt form any lumps...It should be powdery and still moist...a delicate balance which decides the quality of your puttu...If not careful the result can be disastrous!!(Hint for the right consistency would be if u try to press the rice flour with your hand it may almost retain the shape and then still u can powder it as well)

Traditionally puttu is steamed in a mould called PUTTUKUTTI..a cylindrical steamer with a circular sieve provided for the steam to seep in.(Alternatively if you dont have a puttukutti u can steam it in any steamer available with you, can try your idli steamer as well. The only difference would be that you wont get the traditional shape, but the taste remains the same.)


Put a handful of grated coconut in the puttukutty followed by rice flour till half( or depending on the size u want,) and then another handful of grated coconut. This is repeated till the top. Cover the steamer with the lid and steam it for 2 minutes.The cooked puttu will come as blocks which can be smashed into fine soft powder while eating with any spicy curry like a 'kadala curry, cherupayar curry, ishtu(bhaji), chicken curry, fish curry (recipes to follow) or if u want it sweet you can mix it with sugar, pappadam(appalam/appadalu),small plantain & ghee...A tummy full of puttu...you will not feel hungry for the next 3 or 4hrs!!

Corn Puttu: Brother of Naadan puttu!