Puttu Recipe | Kerala Puttu

Making puttu flour mixture

1. Take 1 cup puttu flour in a mixing bowl or a pan.
2. Add ⅓ teaspoon salt or as required.
3. Now sprinkle ⅓ cup water all over. The amount of water required will depend on the quality of rice flour. So you can add accordingly.
4. Begin to mix the rice flour with the water with your fingertips.
5. To get soft puttu, the amount of rice flour to water ratio is important. To check this gently press a small portion of the flour between your palms. It should form a lump. When you press this flour lump more, then it breaks and crumbles. This should be the texture of the flour.
6. Break all the tiny lumps in the flour with your fingertips. You can even grind this rice flour mixture in a grinder to break lumps. But grind in small batches and use the pulse option of mixer-grinder.
7. Now pour 2 cups water in the base vessel of the puttu kudam.
8. Keep on stove top and let the water get heated.

Assembling & Steaming puttu

1. Meanwhile first place the perforated disc inside the cylindrical vessel. Then add 2 to 3 tablespoons fresh coconut in the cylindrical vessel of the puttu kudam and spread evenly.
2. Then gently add the puttu flour till it reaches half of the cylindrical vessel.
3. Again add 2 to 3 tablespoons of grated coconut and spread evenly.
4. Then add the puttu flour again.
5. Cover the top portion with 2 to 3 tablespoons of grated coconut and spread evenly. Cover with the top lid. 
6. Place the cylindrical portion on top of the base vessel in which the water must have come to a boil.
7. Steam puttu on medium flame till you see steam releasing from the top vents of the cylindrical vessel. Then turn off the the heat. 
8. Remove carefully with the help of a kitchen towel, the cylindrical part from the bottom vessel and allow the puttu inside to cool for 3 to 4 minutes.
9. Then using a wooden skewer or the stick that accompanied the puttu kudam, remove the steamed puttu.
10. Serve puttu hot or warm with Kadala Curry, Vegetable Stew or Potato Stew. It will also go well with this coconut based South Indian Chickpea Curry.