Puttu with Kadala Curry

Puttu is a staple breakfast dish in south India popular in the states of Kerala and Tamil Nadu. "Puttu" means portioned in Malayalam. It is a very filling and hearty breakfast dish made with rice flour mixed with salt water and typically steamed in a puttu steamer with coconut shavings in between. Sometimes a bit of jaggery powder is also added to make it a bit sweet. My husband loves to eat puttu with elaichi bananas or other small bananas; mixing it with the puttu.

I came across this dish after I got married into a Malayali household and got exposed to a lot of Kerala recipes and dishes. My mother-in-law makes really amazing puttu and Kadala curry. So, after I moved here to the Netherlands I wanted to give this a try. I didn't have a puttu steamer, so I asked my mother-in-law and she gave me the idea to steam it inside a coconut shell which is also a popular traditional method of cooking. It was totally worth all the effort and to be honest it was really very easy. The feeling of getting a perfect steamed puttu was simply bliss. Combined with some spicy Kadala curry, I was taken to the memories of home. Nailed it!

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SERVES: 2  

PREP TIME: 5 mins for puttu + 5 mins for Kadala

COOK TIME: 10 mins for puttu + 15 mins for Kadala

for Puttu:

• 1 cup puttu flour (normal rice flour also works)
• ¼ cup of  freshly grated coconut
• ¼ tsp salt
• ½ cup hot water
• 1 whole shell of coconut broken in to half or a puttu steamer

for Kadala Curry:  

• ½ cup black chana (Kadala) soaked overnight or for at least 5 hours
• 1 medium onion (finely chopped)
• 2 dried red chilli
• ¼ cup fresh grated coconut
• 2 cloves of garlic (sliced)
• 1 inch ginger (chopped)
• 1 green chilli (slit in half)
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 tsp jeera
• 1 tsp haldi powder
• 1 tsp red chilli powder
• 1 tbsp coriander powder
• 1 tbsp garam masala
• coriander (finely chopped for garnish)
• 7-8 curry leaves
• salt
• 2 tbsp coconut oil or vegetable oil              

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Kadala Curry:

1. Cook Kadala: In a pressure cooker add the Kadala, salt, turmeric powder and red chilli powder and cook it for 1 whistle. Switch off the flame and keep it aside to depressurize naturally. 

2. Make Curry: In a pan add some coconut oil, once the oil is heated add the mustard and jeera. Add the dried red chilli, ginger and garlic and sauté this for few seconds. Add the chopped onions, coconut and cook this till it turns slight brown in colour. Now, add turmeric, coriander powder and mix well. Add the cooked Kadala with it's water, add garam masala and cook for about 5-10 mins till you get a good gravy consistency. Garnish with come chopped coriander and enjoy while its hot.

Puttu: 

1. Boil Water: In a pot heat water with some salt. Once the water is heated switch off the stove and keep it aside.

2. Prepare Puttu Flour: In a big bowl add the puttu flour and slowly add the salty water and mix it till you get a bread crumb type consistency. When you press the flour together, it should hold but you should also be able to crumble it again. Be careful not to add too much water since you don't want to make a dough. 

3. Steam Puttu: I used the part of the coconut shell with the eye to make my puttu. You can use the puttu steamer. Heat some water in a wide vessel and keep a strainer or a vessel with multiple holes on it. Close the top with a lid for the steam to form. In the coconut shell first add the combined puttu flour up to ¼ level of the shell. Then, add some coconut. Again add the puttu flour covering the rest of the shell. Do not press down on the flour too much, you need the steam to penetrate through the flour. Repeat this process with the other shell. Leave a little space on the top for the puttu to steam properly. Now, place the shells in the steamer facing the top portion upwards and close the lid and steam it for 10-15 mins. Remove it from the steam after 15 mins and let it cool down for few mins. To remove the puttu just place it upside down and tap slightly. Enjoy with the hot Kadala curry.

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