Makkachola puttu

Makkachola puttu/maize puttu - Puttu is a steamed rice cake , and is a traditional delicacy of kerala. Ask any keralite about his breakfast menu - his answer would be puttu. Puttu with kadala curry or cherupayar curry or simply with a nendram banana, sugar and poricha appalam makes his/her day. Puttu is usually prepared with rice flour and are steamed in the coconut shells called chirattai.. Kuzha puttu makes use of puttu kudam which is a cylindrical vessel where the puttu is filled in the cylindrical portion of the vessel and water is filled in the kudam or the lower portion. If you would like to go for a healthy version , you can try a variety of puttu flours available in the market such as samba ravai (wheat) puttu flour, Red rice puttu flour, ragi, kambu, makkacholam and so on. Making puttu is very easy if you have these 3 ingredients in your pantry i.e puttu flour, coconut, salt, especially for those who want to cook something healthy and easy and less time - consuming. Puttus are healthy for the kids and a best alternative for the packed cereals available in the market.

Key Ingredients:

Flours: Maize or makkachola puttu flour, rice puttu flour  are used.

Onion - Bellary variety or shallots can be used.

Spices - Chillies, cumin, spice powders, are used.

Oils - Any oil  can be used. I've used sesame oil

Milk - Maize flour is quite dry so i used milk instead of water to moisten the flours.

Seasoning ingredients, coconut are used.

Method:

• Moisten the flours with a little milk, turmeric and salt.
• Steam
• Season (optional)

Accompaniments:

Puttu is usually served with kadala curry or cherupayaru curry, or with banana and sugar, but vatha kuzhambu will pair up excellently.

Puttu can also be had with sweetened coconut milk.

Substitutions:

• Substitute milk with water.
• Substitute milk with coconut milk.
• Substitute maize flour with any other above mentioned puttu flours.
• Rice puttu flour can be substituted with normal coarse rice flour.

Variation:

You can make a sweeter version of this savoury puttu. Crumble the puttu after steaming, add country sugar, cardamom.

Pre - preparation:

Roast the flours till light brown. Take them in a bowl. Heat the milk until warm. Sprinkle the milk all over the flour and mix well such that when you take the flour in your hands and press it firmly , should hold the shape of your palm and when you leave it has to crumble back to flour. This can be achieved by adding the milk/ water in stages. Leave it in countertop for at least half an hour.The flour needs to absorb the moisture to give softer puttus.

Equipment Used:

Puttu kudam or chirattai, kadai/pan.

Puttu kuzhai - Puttu kuzhai has 2 portions.The upper portion is a long cylindrical vessel with the lid and a perforated plate. The lower portion is the kudam where the water is poured for the steam to pass through the perforated plate.

The puttu gets cooked by the steam which paases through the plate. Puttu kuzhai also comes with the upper portion alone which has to be fitted into the lid of the pressure cooker. I've used this type of puttu kuzhai.

Chirattai is the coconut shell or the ones made with the metal in the shape of a coconut shell.

Recipe: 

Total time Taken: 30 minutes for moistening + 15 minutes for layering + 15 minutes for steaming + 10 minutes for seasoning = 1 hour 10 minutes.

No. of servings - 3

1 cup = 200ml

Ingredients:

Maize puttu flour - 1 cup

Raw rice puttu flour/Raw rice flour - 1/2 cup

Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

Salt - to taste

Coconut gratings - 1 cup 

Milk - 1/4 cup(optional)

Tempering:

Mustard - 1/2 tsp

Split Urad dal - 1/2 tsp 

Chana dal - 1/2 tsp

Shallots - 1/2 cup

Green chillies - 1

Red Chillies - 2

Asafoetida/hing - 1/4 tsp

Curry Leaves - 1 sprig

Directions:

1.Pour water in the kudam or in the cooker.

2.Fill the upper portion of the Puttu kuzhai with moistened Puttu flour and coconut alternatively. Start by putting 2 tbsp of Puttu flour into the kuzhai, then add 1 tbsp of coconut, then again 2 tbsp of Puttu flour, repeat until there is no Puttu flour or coconut left.

3.Close the lid of the Puttu kuzhai. Fit the kuzhai with the kudam or Close the lid of the pressure cooker and fit the kuzhai into the lid of the pressure cooker (where the whistle is usually fitted).

4.Steam for 15 minutes.You will get a nice aroma when it is done.

5.You can check if the puttu is done or not by inserting a toothpick or skewer into the puttu.If the skewer comes out clean then it is done. 

6. Remove the puttu using the rod which is provided along with the puttu kuzhai to a plate. Insert the rod into the kuzhai underneath, push the cooked puttu slowly. if you want to serve at this point stop here else proceed to the next step.

7.Remove the skin. Chop the shallots.

7.Heat oil in a pan. Add the ingredients given under the heading 'tempering'. Saute well. 

8.When onion turns pink add the crumbled puttu. Sprinkle some milk(optional). 

9. Mix well and serve.

Note:

• You can avoid rice flour completely, proceed with just makkachola flour alone.
• I added rice flour as makkachola flour is quite dry and nutty taste and becomes more dry on seasoning.
• I ve added only less quantity of coconut gratings, you can increase the amount of coconut according to your preferences.