Wednesday, May 28, 2008

PUTTU n KADALA

Puttu is a culinary specialty in Kerala. Its one of the most popular breakfast item .It is made by steaming wet rice powder.You can also use ragi pdr,corn pdr,wheat etc. It is usually served with kadala curry ,pappadam and a banana.Chicken curry is also very popular.I sometimes like to have it simply with sugar and steamed plantains.


For steaming the puttu, there is a special utensil called Puttu Kutti. It consists of two sections. The lower bulkier portion is where the water for steaming is stored. The upper detachable leaner portion which is separated from lower portion with peforated lids so as to allow the steam to pass through and bake the rice powder which has been filled. The upper portion of the leaner section is covered with a peforated lid once it is filled with rice powder.


INGREDIENTS

Rice flour/puttu flour - 2 cups

grated coconut - 1 cup + a handful

water - approx. 1/2 cup

salt

METHOD

Add salt and a handful of grated coconut into the flour and mix well. Add water little by little to the flour and mix it.You have to be careful when you add water, the flour should be just wet enough for steaming . The consistency has got to be right. It should not become too watery.

Fill the lower portion of the puttu maker with water half way through and let it come to a boil.In the mean time layer the Puttu maker(in the top portion) with some grated coconut first, then the rice mixture and then the grated coconut again.

Ones the water starts boiling put the top portion of the puttu maker over this and close it with the perforated lid and let it steam for 5-6 mins.Serve hot with kadala curry.


KADALA CURRY

kadala curry and puttu is the classic combination.Its usually prepared with black chickpeas but i use the white ones because i love its soft texture.So here is the recipe.

INGREDIENTS

Garbanzo beans/chick peas/white chana /black chana - 1 can

shallots/small onions - 10-15 nos , sliced

tomato - 1 medium size,diced

mustard seeds - 1 tsp

green chillies - 3 nos , slit

curry leaves - 1 sprig

salt

TO GRIND


Grated coconut - 1 cup

shallots/small onions - 5 nos,cut in half

peanuts - 1 tbsp

mustard seeds - 1 tsp

cinnamon stick - 1/2 piece

cloves - 3-4 nos

cardamam - 2,skin removed

black peppercorn - 5-6 nos

grated ginger - 1 tsp

turmeric - 1 tsp

red chilli pdr - 1 tsp

coriander pdr - 2 tsp

tamarind concentrate - 1 1/2 tsp

METHOD

Heat some oil in a pan and add mustard seeds.Ones it starts to pop add cinnamon stick,cloves and cardamam.Saute for a minute then add peppercorn and peanuts.Ones the peanuts are brown add shallots and grated ginger.Saute until the raw smell goes and add turmeric,red chilli pdr and coriander pdr.Saute all for another couple of mins and transfer it onto a blender.In the same pan dry roast the coconut until brown.Transfer this also into the blender ,add tamarind and grind everything smoothly and keep aside.

Heat oil in a pan.Add mustard seeds.When its starts to pop add curry leaves and green chillies.Stir for a minute then add sliced onions and tomatoes.Saute this until the onions are slightly brown and raw smell of tomatoes are gone.Now add the grinded masala and garbanzo beans.Check salt.Cover and let it simmer for 10-15 mins.serve hot with puttu.

Come back to check what my marathon buddies are upto today!!!

Sri - Mango sevai
Siri - tindora rice
Arundathi -rice cooked up
Swathi - Paneer jalfrezi
Lakshmi - Varuthu Araitha Kootu

Divya - Tomatillo Salsa

26 comments:

Finla said...

Wowyhe real Kerala combo, puttu and kadala.
I love your curry too.
Will try them.
I love puttu but my hubby andd daughter don't like it. My hubby call it a bomb. But i love them.

Sum Raj said...

am thinking y can't i grab ur recipe from monitor for our breakfast....it looks delicious and yummy....

Anonymous said...

Simply superb.Real kerala recipie looks delicious.

FH said...

So yummy! Your Puttu looks so fluffy, mine was little clumped together. Kadala looks delicious!:)

Purnima said...

Thats a beautiful pic, drool drool! thks for sharing ur method.. i love both varieties of kadala!

@the_whisk_affair said...

an all time favourite of a keralite!! but unfortunately i dont have a puttukudam here, will have to buy one soon!! :-)

Suganya said...

WOW>>>> What a wonderful combo. Looks so good. My fav. Wanter to try ur version.

Shubha Ravikoti said...

yummmyyy ranji the puttu n kadala looks heavenly.... tell me when i can drop by abd have a bite ::P

ur amazing...:)

Cham said...

keralite special Puttu and kadalai curry, The puttu is perfect! I love to eat with sugar like u Ranji! If u ve any leftover parcel me.

ranji said...

@happycook..thank u so much..even some of my north indian friends call it the nuclear bomb seeing the puttu kutti:)...i love it..its my fav too..

@suma..grab it all u want and have..i dont mind at all:)..its reallllllly delcious:)

sireesha..thank u

@asha..
Thank u :).i use double horse puttu powder..i add a handful of grated coconut in the mixture..that makes it really soft.try adding it next time..

purnima,JZ,sukanya, thank u so much:)

@shubha ,cham...u can drop by anytime or i will parcel it right away :)...i would love to make it for u ..its really yummy..

Madhavi said...

Wonderful pic Ranji, very nice recipe and curry looks awesome too, thanxxxxx for sharing!!!

Sia said...

puttu and kadla curry is my all time fav item for breakfast since i discovered it at my friends place few yrs bk. it looks absolutely delicious ranji

Laavanya said...

Your puttu looks so soft.. i've never tried adding coconut to the rice flour itself.. only use it to layer.. will try that next time.. and the kadala curry looks great too - this is a favorite breakfast at home with some bananas and ghee & appalam.

Unknown said...

love puttu..But prefer the sweeter version..Looks too tempting

kamala said...

Me too love puttu with sugar.Want this immediately Ranji.Looks so perfect

Uma said...

lovely recipes, Ranji! both of them look delicious.

Felcy said...

FEw days back I tried puttu... I was thinking to make kadala curry... happy to see the recipe here... Also love puttu with payiru and papad...

DK said...

I loveeee Puttu! My aunt used to make it for me :)

Regds ur query, The only thing that I can think of for Couscous's taste is that it is what I call as a "taste shifter'. In the sense that tastes as per the flavors u add to it. It is pretty bland by itself.mm something like unseasoned Rava Upma. The addition of spices/veggies etc give it the flavor. Its healthy and tasty though ;-)

SASHREE said...

ranji,this this my first visit to ur blog,n the kerala combo is simply amazing.gr8 recipies from ur side

Aparna Balasubramanian said...

This is something I make a lot but never gotten to writing about. One of my daughter's favourite breakfasts.

bha said...

have heard about puttu before, but never had it...now will try making it

Anonymous said...

This looks absolutely delicious!

Siri said...

I heard abt puttu for the first time from one of my keralite friend..urs looks yummy Ranji..:D great going gurl!

Siri

Anonymous said...

you need to tell me the secret to fluffy puttu - i have had puttu many times (never made) but 9 out of 10 times people don't seem to get it right

Nanditha Prabhu said...

hey ranji just had puttu today .. but we made gova puttu and chonnya ukkeri! i used to hate puttu as a child but my taste has changes now ! i absolutely love these steam cakes!and my puttu maker is in the shape of chiratta(or a bowl) which i keep on top of pressure cooker n steam!

Divya Kudua said...

hey ranji,puttu looks very fluffy..nice descriptions and even better looking snaps..kadala too is looking delicious!!