Video guide for making vegan Kerala-style kappa puttu or tapioca steam cake

Preparation time: 5 minutes

Cooking time: 2 minutes

Serves: 3

Ingredients

1 cup dried tapioca powder

½ cup of roasted rice flour

½ cup grated coconut

Salt for taste

Water

Method

Making dried tapioca powder

Step: 1

Peel off the skin from the tapioca and wash well.

Step: 2

Chop the tapioca into small pieces, and then sun dry it for 2 to 3 days until crisp.

Step: 3

Grind it in a blender to make it a fine powder.

Making puttu or tapioca steam cake

Step: 1

Mix the dried tapioca powder, roasted rice flour, grated coconut, and salt in a bowl. Combine well with hand.

Step: 2

Wet the flour by sprinkling water (a little at a time). Ensure you do not add too much water. Mix it using your hand till the flour becomes moist and crumbly. To check the right consistency, take a handful of flour in your fist and press it. If the shape holds and does not fall apart, that is the right consistency to make 'puttu'.

Step: 3

Cover and keep aside the moist flour for a few minutes.

Step: 4

Pour water into the bottom vessel of the puttu maker till two third's full and heat it.

Step: 5

Place the round perforated disc inside the cylindrical mould of the puttu maker. Put two tablespoons of grated coconut as the first layer. Then add the flour mix (2 to 3 inches in height). Again add another small layer of grated coconut, followed by another layer of the flour mix. Add one tablespoon of grated coconut at the top as a final layer. Gently press on the top and then close the puttu mould with its lid.

Step: 6

Place the cylindrical mould over the bottom vessel and cook till you see the steam coming through the lid's holes. Once the steam starts coming out, lower the flame and cook for another one minute.

Step:7

Remove the mould, and open the lid. Then gently push the puttu to a plate by pushing the perforated disc at the bottom of the puttu mould, using a wooden ladle or spoon.

Step: 8

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

Note:

Tapioca flour can be stored and kept for months without spoiling.

Recipe courtesy: Sobha Varghese is a homemaker based in Mumbai, India. Sobha runs a popular YouTube blog called ‘Sobha's Kitchenette’ that focuses on authentic and traditional Kerala recipes.

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