Puttu Kadala

Puttu Kadala is the favourite breakfast of the Keralites and occupies a very important position in the authentic Kerala cuisine. This tasty steam cake is the favourite not only for the Keralites but for people all over the globe, considering it to be a healthy food among other junk foods.

Ingredients
Puttu
Rice flour - (red coloured chemba powder or normal white rice flour) Available in any Indian grocery shop or you can prepare the same at home by soaking rice in water for some time and grinding it to a fine flour and roast the flour.
Water
Salt as per requirement
Grated Coconut

Preparation

Add some salt to water and now add this salted water little by little to the flour and mix well with hand. The mixing should be appropriate that the rice powder should be damp enough for steaming. The mixing for puttu should be appropriate that it is in the powdery form itself but the powder should be damp. The secret of puttu lies in its mixing. If you wish so you may add some grated coconut to this damp flour and mix well once again with hand.

Now take some water in a puttu kana(pot) or if using a pressure cooker take some water in a pressure cooker cover the lid and leave it to boil when the steam starts to come, place the puttu kutti or kana(the long straight hollow tube like vessel in which puttu is made) add some grated coconut then on top of it some mixed rice powder vice versa layer by layer and then cover the puttu kana or kutti with its lid and leave it for some time until you see the steam starts to come out through small holes in the lid. When the steam starts coming in full fledged reduce the flame and leave it for 1 or 2 minutes and remove it from the pot or pressure cooker. Now using a skewer push the puttu out from the puttu kanna or kutti. Now steaming hot puttu is ready to eat.

NB: Instead of adding coconut in between the flour you may also add minced meat or boiled banana mixed with grated coconut for those who like sweet puttu, especially kids. Also puttu can be made in coconut shell known as chiratta puttu in the same way by

The best combination for puttu is Kadala or chickpeas curry. It is available in brown and offwhite colour but the best combination is brown kadala. But puttu can also be had with plain sugar, ripe banana, mango, meat curry, fish curry, chicken curry, cherrupayar or green gram, plain pappad fry or certain people have puttu with plain black tea.

KADALA CURRY Ingredients
Brown Kadala or Chickpeas - 1 cup (soaked overnight)
Greenchilly - 3 Nos split to two
Ginger garlic past - 1tbsp
Coriander leaves 10 to 15
Water as required
Salt to taste
Onion one big sliced
Coriander powder 2 tbsp
Chilly powder 1 tbsp
Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp
Mustard Seeds 1 tbsp
Coconut milk thick 1 cup
Oil 3 - 4 tbsp

Preparation
Take a pressure cooker put the soaked and washed kadala along with green chilly, coriander leaves and some water, depending on how much gravy you require for the curry. Now cover the pressure cooker and leave it for 2 to 3 whistles (sufficient enough since kadala has been soaked overnight). Now remove the cooker from flame and keep aside. Now place a pan on top of the flame when dried and hot add some oil when oil is heated add mustard seeds followed by sliced onion and saute well until it turns golden brown. Now add ginger garlic paste and saute followed by coriander, chilly and turmeric powder, also you may add some garam masala to it which will give a special flavour now saute all this well then add the cooked kadala and some salt to taste. Once it has boiled well just before removing from flame add the coconut milk. It is ready to be served hot with Puttu ...........Hmmm mouthwatering.

You can also prepare kadala without gravy and adding small pieces of coconut to it which is also tasty.

NB: Kadala is also a good combination for appam, idiyappam, puri, and uppma.