Typical Authentic Kerala breakfast 'Puttu'- Chemba Puttu and The Third Award

This is an authentic Kerala breakfast made at every Keralite home atleast once in every week. A very simple and easily made breakfast which can be served with kadala curry, banana or stews.
Though its very easy and simple, care must be taken whiling mixing the flour with water, during my initial days in the kitchen I have struglled atleast 3-4 times to get the right consistency. If the water is more, it turns to a mass of steamed flour which is not soft enough and sticky to be edible. On the other hand when the water is not enough the steam never escapes form the puttu-maker and it never gets cooked leaving them back into the same state of raw flour. So when the water comes to right consistency you get steaming flavorful puttu which takes the shape of the puttu kutti/a thick pipe-like shape.

Usually Puttu is made with normal/roasted rice-flour in the same procedure,I have used the red/brown-rice/Chemba rice flour which is more healthier due to the fibre-content in the rice. It is available with Double horse and nirapara brand. The nirapara puttu flour comes with lots of nutritious ingredients in them which are visible like small fibres in the podi. Both are good enough for making nice soft and delicious puttu. This puttu will be a little dark since the podi is of brown rice rice and a little firm so care must be taken while mixing the flour.

Ingredients:
1. Double Hourse/Nirpara Chemba Puttu Podi- 1 1/2 cup
2. Water to moisten the flour- 1/2- 3/4 cup
3. Freshly grated coconut- 1/2 cup
4. Salt to taste- 1/2-3/4 tsp


Preparation Method:
1. In a large bowl,take the Chemba Puttu Podi and mix well with the salt.

2. Sprinkle water and mix it.
3. Keep on sprinkling water and continue mixing, till the whole flour is wet enough. You can confirm this by making lumps when you clasp but can be easily crumbled.Not like chapathi dough to stick firm.
4. After the mixture has enough moisture, crumble all the lumps if formed during the mixing, this helps make the puttu very soft. This can be easily done by running it in a mixer for a few seconds.

5. Fill the Puttukudam with water, not more than half its capacity.
This has an alternative of using just the puttukutti on a cooker. The cooker acts like a puttukudam from which the steam comes out through the whistle and is passed into the puttukudam to get the puttu cooked.

6. Keep the perforated shown in the picture first and then put some(2 tbsp) grated coconut in the Puttukutty and then add the Podi/mixed flour(two times one handfull), now add another layer of grated coconut and continue the cycle till the puttukutti is full. Any kind of filling can be kept like meat called irachi puutu or cardamom-coconut-jaggery mix to make sweet puttu. The more you keep the coconut filling, it helps make the puttu softer.
7. Close the lid and place the Puttukutti on the Puttukuddam while steam starts coming from the puttukudam.
8. Cook the Puttu for about 10-12 minutes. Within 3-4 minutes, the steam starts escaping from the three holes on top of the puttu-kutti,this is the only way to make sure that the puttu is cooking and we have done the mix with water well to convert it into perfectly-cooked end product. It is ready to be served with Kadal Curry or Egg-Curry or Stew and pappadam or even with ripe-sweet banana/cardomom and sugar.

Chiratta Puttu
9. This can also be made using the chiratta puttu maker. You have to put the perforated plate and put the grated coconut then fill the puttu maker full of puttu flour and cook on the cooker-top to 5-6 minutes.

10. Serve by tilting the puttu maker with the shredded coconut coming on top.

And finally the award. Thanks to Deepa Praveen for you lovely blog award.