Pick 'N' Cook

Kerala Puttu & Chickpea Curry

Puttu is a Kerala breakfast dish of steamed cylinders of ground rice layered with coconut. It is highly popular in the Indian state of Kerala as well as in many areas of Sri Lanka. Puttu is served with side dishes such as palm sugar or chickpea curry or banana.

• Puttu is generally 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.
• A number of alternative cooking vessels are used, such as traditional vessels where a perforated coconut shell is attached 
• Other types of cooking vessels include a pan similar to an idli pan with small holes in the bottom, pressure cookers and, mainly in the Malay Archipelago, hollow bamboo stalks.

Ingredients

Puttu:

• Puttu flour - 2 cups
• Grated/Desiccated coconut - 1/2 cup
• Water - 1/2 cup(approx)
• Milk - 1/2 cup(approx)
• Salt as needed
• Powdered Sugar - 1 tsp

Kala Channa Curry:

• Kala Channa - 2 cups
• Ginger Garlic paste - 1 tbsp
• Onion - 1
• Green chilli - 1
• Tomato - 2
• Coconut - 3/4 cup
• Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
• Chilli powder - 1 tsp
• Coriander powder - 2 tsp
• Kerala Garam masala - 2 tsp
• Salt as needed
• Oil - 1 tbsp
• Mustard - 1 tsp
• Asafoetida a pinch.

Method

Puttu:

1. Mix puttu flour with salt and sugar.
   
2. Add little water, little milk and mix.
3. Add more water or milk if needed, when you take a handful of flour and press it between your fist, it should hold its shape, when you press it again a little harder, it should crumble. That is the right consistency.
   
4. Take idli steamer and layer with grated coconut in the base and add flour on top of it, press gently ( Use puttu maker if you have).
   
   
   
   
5. Steam it for 4-5 minutes.

Kala Channa Curry

1. Soak channa overnight and pressure cook it, keep aside.
2. In a blender make coconut paste by adding little amount of water, leave aside
3. In a blender, take 4 tbsp of cooked channa, kerala garam masala powder and grind them together by adding water, keep aside.
   
4. Heat oil in a pan, add mustard, hing, green chillies and saute chopped onions.
   
   
   
   
5. Add ginger garlic paste.
6. Add chopped tomatoes, add salt and turmeric and saute again.
   
7. Add chilli powder and coriander powder.
8. Add coconut paste.
   
9. Add grounded channa paste, mix well.
   
10. Add cooked channa.
    
11. Add water and boil for 10 minutes in medium flame.
    
12. Garnish and serve with puttu.
    

Note:

• Make Kerala garam masala by adding fennel seeds, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon and mace.
• Make puttu flour by soaking raw rice for about 3-4 hours, grind them and dry roast them in a pan on low flame till it releases aroma.
• Use more milk instead of water for very soft puttu.
• Make sweet puttu by adding grated coconut and sugar.