In the southern Indian states of Kerala and Tamil Nadu, the Puttu Recipe is more than just a popular breakfast; it's a tradition. This simple, steamed rice cake layered with grated coconut has a loyal fan base; you either love it or leave it, but we love it to bits in our home!
Puttu's charm lies in its versatility. It pairs beautifully with Kadala (black chana dal) curry, cherupayar, chicken stew, banana, molaga podi, or even a sprinkle of sugar. Whether savory or sweet, every combination brings out something new in this soft, crumbly delight, making Puttu not just delicious but a true powerhouse of a breakfast!
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What is special about Puttu Rice cake?
- Puttu is a complete powerhouse breakfast like the Masala Dosa, Vellappam, and Pathiri. If you have Puttu for one meal, it is so hearty and filling that just one serving can keep you going for the rest of the day!
- What makes it even better is that it's a healthy option-steamed, oil-free, and light on the stomach like the Ela Ada.
- The Puttu podi or rice flour used in the preparation is easily available in most Indian grocery stores. Using the store-bought puttu powder (rice powder) makes the Puttu preparation easier.
- Puttu pairs well with many curries, as shown in some of the pictures below. But when in a hurry, it's just as delicious with ripe banana or a sprinkle of sugar.
- Thanks to its fine texture, puttu absorbs the rich flavors of the curry, be it mulakitta chemmeen curry or the universal favorite combination puttu kadala curry, making every bite satisfying.
Ingredients
- Puttu powder (Rice powder)
- Coconut grated
- Salt
- Water
Puttu Recipe - How to make?
Puttu steamer or Puttu maker
To make Puttu, we need a special cooker/steamer called a Puttu maker. It has two parts to it. The bottom vessel is where you add water for steaming. The top cylindrical compartment is for filling the puttu flour mixture and coconut alternately. It sits on top of the bottom steamer with a circular partition and tiny holes for letting steam in.
Puttu Flour Preparation
Begin by filling the bottom vessel of the steamer with water and setting it to boil. Meanwhile, prepare the Puttu flour. Mix the readymade rice flour or Puttu podi with warm water and a pinch of salt; the mixture resembles damp sand, like the kind used to build sandcastles at the beach.
First, add about a tablespoon of grated coconut to the bottom of the cylindrical puttu maker, and then half a cup of rice flour (Puttu) mixture.
Layer the grated coconut and rice mixture alternately inside the cylindrical puttu maker, starting and ending with coconut. Once filled, close the lid securely. Place the puttu maker on top of the lower vessel containing the boiling water that we started boiling earlier.
Steaming the Puttu
Once the Puttu is fully cooked, you'll see steam escaping from the small openings on the top lid. After about five minutes, carefully remove the cylindrical puttu maker from the base steamer. Using a rolling pin or the handle of a wooden ladle, gently push the puttu out from the bottom.
You'll notice that the puttu naturally breaks at the layers where the grated coconut was added, creating neatly segmented rice cakes as in the picture below.
The result is soft, fluffy Puttu or rice cakes. Enjoy it with side dishes like spicy curries, ripe bananas, or even just a sprinkle of sugar.
Useful Tips
- When preparing the Puttu flour, sprinkle warm water gradually and mix it using your fingers until it reaches the texture of wet sand.
- Once mixed, let the flour rest for a few minutes. This allows the moisture to distribute evenly, resulting in softer, well-cooked Puttus.
- Make sure there's enough water in the steamer, especially if you're preparing multiple batches. Running low on water can affect the cooking process.
- When steam begins to escape from the top of the puttu maker, it's a clear sign that the puttu is cooked through. Let it steam for an additional 3-4 minutes before removing from the heat for the best texture.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can make it at home, soak raw rice for 6 to 7 hours in water, and drain. Powder the rice in a food processor. I normally use the rice powder from the store.
Sure, you can re-steam in the Puttu maker or just add some water and microwave in a container that is closed.
Related Recipes
If you tried this Puttu Recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and a 📝 comment below. I love hearing from you!
Puttu Recipe
Equipment
- Puttu maker
Ingredients
- 6 cups Rice Flour Puttu Podi (Rice Flour)
- 2 cups coconut grated
- 4 cups water Luke warm
- 1 tsp salt or to taste
Instructions
- Take Puttu podi or rice powder in a large bowl and add salt to it.
- Sprinkle luke warm water and continue to mix it.
- At the end of mixing , the consistency should be like wet sand to build a sand castle at the beach 🙂
- Take a Puttu maker and fill water in the the bottom container (steamer) and bring it to a boil.
- Fill the top (cylindrical) part of the puttu maker alternately with shredded coconut and 2 tbsp of puttu mixture until it is filled to the very top.
- Close the lid and place it on the steamer.
- Wait for about 5 - 6 minutes until steam starts to come out from the openings or pores of the lid.
- Lift the top portion of the puttu maker out of the steamer by using the wooden handle and push the puttus (rice cakes) out using the pushing stick (as shown in the picture) into a container.
- Puttus are now ready to be served. It is best eaten with tasty kadala (black chana dal) curry, cheruvayar (horse gram ) curry ,chicken stew , banana or even sugar! Enjoy 🙂
Video
Notes
- When preparing the Puttu flour, sprinkle warm water gradually and mix it using your fingers until it reaches the texture of wet sand.
- Once mixed, let the flour rest for a few minutes. This allows the moisture to distribute evenly, resulting in softer, well-cooked Puttus.
- Make sure there's enough water in the steamer, especially if you're preparing multiple batches. Running low on water can affect the cooking process.
- When steam begins to escape from the top of the puttu maker, it's a clear sign that the puttu is cooked through. Let it steam for an additional 3-4 minutes before removing from the heat for the best texture.
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Thank you sp much Sneha, appreciate it !
Just 2 months back I learned Puttu rice recipe from a Kerala friend. Just loved it.
Oh thats lovely Sneha! I am so glad you loved it . We are big puttu lovers at my home 🙂
Now we too
Puttu & kadala curry, my all time favorite!
Looks so beautiful & tempting!!
Mine as well Megala, the ultimate combination right ? Thank you so much!
Yes, it is!
great piece to read!! Thanks for sharing this amazing recipe!!
btw love your blog! do you use any apps to edit the pics?
Thank you so much Chërnaja! You are very welcome and appreciate your love;y comments. The pictures in this post was taken on my phone and i used the iphoto on my mac. For some other pics on this blog I sometimes use photoshop
My favorite 😉
Thank you Joshi! same here 🙂
Never had it. Will try for sure. Looks tempting 🙂
Thank you Pooja! hope you get a chance to try it sometime!
Definitely will try
First time I heard of puttu. Looks great and easy to make.
Thank you so much ! Yes it is very easy to make as well
Never heard of this,very interesting recipe...Loved the presentation.
Thank you very much Anshu! Hope you get a chance to try this sometime 🙂
Ya...I will love to try it and make it aswell
I have never had puttu. It looks delicious teamed with the dal in the photo xx
Thanks Dippy, I hope you get a chance to try it out sometime , it goes well with any of these curries !
I shall keep it in mind xx
My favorite..my favorite combo is with Kadala curry
Yes dear mine too, I need to update pictures with that combo when I make some !! That's the ultimate combination !
Will definitely give this recipe a try, sounds interesting 😊
Hope you can give it a try Sangita! It's really yum!
I've never seen such a device for cooking rice. Very interesting.
The dish looks very tasty. 🙂
It is true very few people know of the puttu and the puttu maker . There are some Sri lankan restaurants in the bay area as well (San Ramon) which used to have them and they were quite a hit. Thank you Ronit!
my family too love puttu very much. i like ur puttu maker.
That's great Deepa ! Thank you !
Awesome recipe! Love it, it looks so yummy! The pictures are making me want to eat some right now, so tempting! 😀
Glad you liked them and sending them your way virtually 🙂 Thank you very much Latha!
What a coincidence Nisha.. i just had puttu for breakfast 😀
That's awesome! Lavs ..happy to hear that 🙂