Puttu  is a South Indian and Sri Lankan breakfast dish of steamed cylinders of ground rice layered with coconut. It is highly popular in the Indian states of Kerala and Tamil Nadu as well as in few areas of Sri Lanka, where it is also known as pittu. Puttu is served with side dishes such as chickpea curry or banana. It tastes best with the black vatana sambhar. Black  Vatana Sambhar is spicy coconut based gravy.

Puttu is made by slowly adding water to ground rice until the correct texture is achieved. It is then spiced, formed and steamed with layers of grated coconut.

Puttu is generally cooked in a metal kutti puttu vessel with two sections. The lower section holds water and the upper section holds the puttu — where the rice mixture is inserted with layers of grated coconut. Perforated lids separate the sections to allow the steam to pass between them.

A number of alternative cooking vessels are used, such as traditional vessels where a perforated coconut shell is attached to a section of bamboo, or a chiratta puttu made of a coconut shell or of metal shaped similarly to a coconut shell.

Black Vatana Sambhar/Kadala curry with Puttu Recipe

Ingredients

1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp methi seeds
1 cup black vatana/kadala
2 inch ginger thinly sliced
1 tsp ginger garlic pieces
4-5 garlic minced
5 green chillies slit
1 onion chopped
1 tomato chopped
1 tbsp red chilli powder
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 cup coconut milk
1 tbsp coriander powder
6 curry leaves
salt
Coriander leaves for garnishing

Method
In pressure cooker heat oil, add mustard seeds and methi seeds. Let them splutter
Now add chopped onions, green chillies. Sautee till onions become translucent. Now add ginger garlic paste.
Now add chopped garlic and ginger
Add red chilli powder and turmeric powder now.
Cook until oil separates
Now add chopped tomato. Mix well
Add the kadala/black vatana and coriander powder
Pressure cook for 3 to 4 whistles. Now add coconut milk or powder and boil until black vatana/kadala cooks completely
Garnish with coriander leaves

Puttu Recipe

Ingredients

Ragi Flour / Finger Millet Flour or Wheat Flour or Rice Flour – 2 cup

Salt to taste

Water as needed

Fresh Coconut as needed grated

Method

Take ragi flour or wheat flour or rice flour in a large mixing bowl.  Add in salt and mix well.

Now add in water slowly and mix well with your hands. This will form into crumbs. The crumbs should not be dry, it should form into a tight ball when you hold it and it should crumble when you drop it.

Now take your puttu making gadget. I used cup puttu maker.

Fill water in the pressure cooker and heat it up.

Drop the holed disc inside the cup. Now start layering the funnel.