Prep 15 m
Cook 5m
Serves
3
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Ingredients

    1 cup Finger millet flour

    ½ cup Grated coconut

    1 tbsp Clarified butter

    ½ cup Water

    Salt to taste

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Ingredient Substitution Guide

Method

Dry roast the finger millet flour in a pan for about five minutes over a low flame until the roasted aroma is released. Be careful not to over-roast it. Let the flour cool down.

Then, add salt and one tablespoon of clarified butter to the flour and mix well.

Gradually add water and mix the flour until it can hold together when formed into a ball and crumbles when pressed.

To get a lump-free and soft 'puttu', add the wet flour in a food processor for 1 to 2 seconds. Make sure you don't overdo it. This will break down the lumps and the flour will get evenly mixed.

Cover and set aside for 5 to 10 minutes.

Take a 'puttu maker' (a large vessel to add water) and 'puttu kutti' (sectioned cylinders for steaming with perforated discs). Fill half the vessel with water and allow the water to boil. Take the 'puttu kutti' (top cylindrical part of the steamer) and place the perforated disc at the bottom.

Put one layer—2 tablespoons—of grated coconut as the bottom layer, then add the mixed flour as the next layer—5 tablespoons. Again, add one layer of grated coconut and one layer of flour. Finally, add grated coconut as the topmost layer. Make sure that the flour is gently tamped into place and is not pressed down hard with your hands or a spoon.

Cover the filled vessel with its lid and place it over the 'puttu kudam' on the stove.

Steam for about 4 minutes. When it is cooked, steam will start coming out of the tiny holes in the lid. Remove the 'puttu kutti' from the bottom part and open the lid. Slowly push the puttu or steamed flour cake out of the 'puttu kutti' by using the back of a wooden spoon and slide it onto a plate or a greased banana leaf.

Serve hot with kadala curry (a curry made with Bengal gram or kala chana curry) or with banana and sugar.

Tips:

One essential item you'll need for making this dish is the 'puttu kudam,' also known as puttu maker, puttu kutti, or puttu vessel. It consists of two sections – the base for heating water and the top cylindrical part for steaming the puttu. It is available in most department stores in the UAE.

Sobha Varghese


A homemaker based in Mumbai, who runs a popular YouTube blog called ‘Sobha's Kitchenette’ that focuses on authentic and traditional Kerala recipes.

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