Why this recipe works
Puttu is about as gentle as breakfast gets. Coarse rice flour is moistened, layered with grated coconut, and steamed, so it uses no oil at all. The result is light and filling, but rice-based, which is exactly why Kerala pairs it with a protein-rich partner like kadala curry or banana.
Ingredients
Method
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1
Moisten the roasted rice flour to a crumbly, just-damp texture.
Why just damp: too wet and the puttu turns dense and gummy, the flour should clump lightly, not form a dough.
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2
Layer the flour and grated coconut in the puttu mould.
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3
Steam until soft and cooked through.
Why steam: steaming cooks the puttu with no added fat, keeping it light, one of the gentlest ways to cook.
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4
Serve hot with kadala curry or banana.
An honest word
Puttu is a light, fat-free breakfast: steamed, with only a little coconut for flavour. Being rice-based, it is best made a complete meal by pairing it with a protein, kadala curry is the classic, which adds the protein and fibre the puttu lacks on its own. Using red or brown rice flour adds fibre too.