Puttu Recipe

Puttu also known as rice puttu, Indian rice cake, Kerala funnel cake is a popular breakfast in and around South India and Kerala. Puttu is made with rice flour and steamed in a funnel like utensil till cooked.In Kerala puttu is usually served with kadala curry or cooked green gram known as payaru. It is also served with banana, sugar, ghee & papadum which is a perfect combination. In this recipe of puttu learn how to make puttu with red rice flour and rice flour also few serving ideas and variations with step by step pictures and video. 

Puttu Recipe

Puttu is one of my childhood favourite breakfast. Still it remains the same and it is loved by everyone in my family including my kiddos. This steamed Kerala puttu is not only taste amazing but is highly nutritious as well. Making puttu is not at all complicated, we have it for breakfast at least once a week. 

About Puttu 

Puttu is one of the famous Kerala breakfast dish. It is also known as Rice puttu, puttu kadala curry, Indian rice cake, Steamed funnel cake and many more. Traditionally puttu is served with fish curry or kadala curry.  You can serve with green gram curry, chicken curry or mutton roast. But in our family we prefer it with ripe banana, cooked green gram, sugar, ghee and papadum. 

Traditional puttu is made with rice flour. It is readily available in supermarket these days. It is known as Puttu podi, puttu mix or puttu maavu. Puttu Flour is made with red rice or white rice depending on the brand you get. Puttu podi will have slightly coarse texture to it but you can use any variety of rice flour to make puttu.  Depending on the brand and variety of rice flour you use the quantity of water used will vary. 

Even though traditional Kerala puttu is made with rice flour. You can easily use a variety of puttu recipe with other flour as well. I have many versions on the blog, some of the popular ones are ragi puttu, wheat puttu, tapioca puttu.

More Puttu Recipes

Ragi puttu

Wheat puttu

Tapioca Puttu

Rice Puttu

Corn Meal Puttu

Watch Puttu Recipe Video 

Puttu Ingredients

Puttu Podi | Rice Flour - for making puttu, you can use store bought or homemade rice flour. Readymade puttu podi is available in the market. You can find white rice flour or red rice putti podi. Puttu podi will have slightly coarse texture to it but you can use any variety of rice flour to make puttu.  Depending on the brand and variety of rice flour you use the quantity of water used will vary. 

Salt - You can add fine salt to the rice flour and mix well. If you are using rock salt, mix sea salt in warm water and use the water to make puttu mixture.

Sugar - I like to add sugar in my puttu podi when mixing. You can skip adding sugar in the mixture. 

Fresh Coconut - use freshly grated coconut to layer puttu. Layering rice flour with coconut helps with the steaming process

Puttu Kudam or Puttu Maker

Puttu is made in a traditional funnel steamer called as puttu kudam or puttu steamer. It is available in variety of shapes and material in the market. In case you don't have puttu kudam you can steam the mixture in a idli steamer also. I used a typical puttu kolal for this, but if you don’t have that you could use a small bowl and put the coconut and flour mixture in layers and steam it, it will still come out great. But the only thing is you won’t get the traditional shape for it.

Puttu Kudam - puttu kudam also known as funnel puttu maker. It is the traditional way to steam puttu. It is available in steel, brass, bamboo or mud as well.

Cup puttu maker - The puttu cup maker is to be kept on the steam vent of the cooker after removing the whistle. I used this puttu maker to make my bread puttu recipe.

Bamboo Puttu Maker - Bamboo Puttu Maker is one of a traditionally used cookware made of bamboo and coconut shell. It is used to cook food with the use of steam. The smell just wafts through the puttu which taste amazing. You can refer my bamboo biryani for this usage.

Steamer Plate - you can use any steamer to steam the puttu mix. Place the steamer plate inside a pot with boiling water and steam cook.

Idli Steamer Pot - this the most convenient method for steaming puttu. You don't have to layer. Spread the puttu mixture in a clean muslin cloth, sprinkle with coconut. tie it to together and place inside idli steamer over idli plate and steam for 10 minutes.

Which is the best puttu podi to use

White Puttu Podi - it is made with white rice. For making homemade puttu podi, soak rice in water for few hours. Strain it in a sieve for few hours. Spread the soaked rice on clean cloth and dry for 15 minutes. Now take the strained rice in a blender and powder to a coarse powder. No take this rice powder in a dry pan and roast for few minutes till steam comes from the pan. Set aside to cool completely and store. 

Red Rice Puttu Podi (Chemba Puttu) - this is the traditional Kerala puttu podi. It is made with samba rice (Kerala red rice). Same process as mentioned above is followed for this rice too. The water added to this red rice puttu podi is more than regular white rice. 

How to Make Puttu (Stepwise Pictures)

Making Puttu Mix

1)Take rice flour in a bowl. I used store bought rice flour. You can use puttu flour or puttu maavu that is available in the stores. The recipe and method remains the same for any variety of flour. Only adjustment that you have to do is the water quantity.

Pro Tip: Depending on the type of rice flour you use, you might need to add more or less water.

2)Add in salt and sugar to the rice flour. Sugar is optional, you can skip if you want. Once salt and sugar is added mix it really well with your hands so the salt gets evenly mixed with the flour.

3)Now add in water. Warm water is preferred. Sprinkle water little by little and mix it evenly with your hands.

4)Sprinkle more water as required and rub it well with your fingers.

5)The mixture should resemble coarse breadcrumbs. Set this mixture aside for 15 minutes till the water is absorbed into the rice flour.

How to Make Soft Puttu (Mixture)

6)This is how to check whether your puttu mix is ready. Take a small portion of the puttu mixture and press it between your hands. It should hold its shape when pressed tightly. When you crumble them, it should crumble easily. The mixture of puttu should be like wet sand. It should be crumbly.

Tips for Soft Puttu - If you want extra soft puttu. Here is my tip. Take this puttu mix in a blender jar or food processor and run it for few seconds. The mixture will get even and more soft.

Layering mixture in the puttu steamer

6)Place the disc inside puttu steamer. Add water to the base of the puttu steamer and place on heat so it comes to a boil.

7)Add in grated coconut inside the base of the puttu steamer.

8)Add in rice flour. You need to fill rice flour till half of the steamer.

9)Repeat the same one more time. Add coconut over the rice flour and then fill to the top with puttu mix.

10)Top with some coconut.

11)Cover with a lid.

Steaming Puttu

12)Fill water in the base of the puttu steamer. Bring it to a boil.

12)Place the puttu funnel on top of the base. Cook them on medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes. You will see steam coming out of the top holes which is on the lid. Before removing, check whether the puttu mixture is cooked.

13)Now use a steel rod or back of the ladle to push the base out. Steamed puttu will pop out.

14)Hot steaming puttu is ready to serve. Enjoy with cooked green gram, banana, papad or kadala curry.

How to Make Puttu with Red Rice

Red rice puttu flour is easily available in stores these days. It comes by the name red rice puttu flour. Also known as red rice, chemba, chamba, samba puttu podi.

1)I used this red rice chemna puttu powder. Red rice puttu podi takes more water than regular rice flour.

2)Take the puttu powder in a bowl.

3)Add in warm water which is mixed with some salt.

4)Rub it well into the flour little at a time. The mixture should be crumbly like wet sand.

5)Now to layer puttu. Take puttu funnel, place holed disc in the bottom. Place the grated coconut in the base, top with red rice puttu mix till it comes half way through.

6)Top with more coconut and more puttu mix.

7)Finally top with grated coconut and cover. Steam cook for 10 minutes till you see steam coming out of the top.

8)Gently un mould and serve.

Variations

Banana Puttu (Nendrapazham Puttu)

This version is my childhood favorite. Amma always make it for us. Instead of serving puttu with banana, she adds sliced nendran banana into the puttu kudam when steaming. The banana steams with the puttu which makes it more tasty.

1)Take nendran banana. Make sure the banana is ripe.

2)Peel, chop banana into small pieces. You can add some sugar or jaggery into the banana and mix.

3)Banana mix is ready. You can also add grated coconut, pinch of cardamom powder in the banana for more flavour.

4)Now to layer the banana puttu. First coconut -> puttu mix -> nendran banana -> coconut ->puttu mix -> nendran banana -> coconut.

5)Steam cook this 10 to 12 minutes.

6)Serve hot.

Serving Suggestions with Puttu

Green gram | Pacha Payaru

This is the most authentic side dish served with puttu. Addition of cooked green gram increases the protein of the meal and makes it filling and substantial.m

Green gram is soaked in water for 2 hours. Take it in a sauce pan with some salt. Cover with water and boil until green gram is cooked. Mix cooked green gram with puttu along with ghee and sugar. Instead of cooking in a sauce pan. You can pressure cook for 1 whistle.

1)Wash and soak green gram for 2 hours.

2)Strain and take it in a sauce pan. Cover with fresh water, sprinkle salt and bring it to a full boil. Simmer the flame and cook until green gram is cooked.

3)Strain the green gram in a colander and serve.

Papadum

deep fried papadum in oil and serve with cooked green gram, banana, ghee and sugar.  

Banana - Ripe banana is served with puttu. You can use any variety to mix with cooked puttu. Nendrapzham is usually served with puttu in Kerala. You can add chopped nendrapazham when layering puttu and steam together. 

Sugar & Ghee - jaggery, sugar is used to sweeten puttu.  Pure ghee is drizzled over hot puttu before serving.

Expert Tips

• use warm water for mixing puttu which gives soft puttu.
• You can add sugar or skip using it. 
• Depending on the rice flour brand. The water quantity will vary.
• For softer puttu, take the puttu mix in a blender and pulse few times till crumbled which results in softer puttu.
• Layering with coconut is important which helps with steaming. 

More Puttu (Rice Cake) Recipes to Try

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