Puttu Kadala

Puttu is Kerala's own breakfast.No I don't think they have copyrighted it,but still..;-)Puttu is an alltime favourite for me and hubby.Sunday mornings are puttu mornings for us.Puttu kadala always reminds me of a dear friend V.He is my hubby's best friend and when I came to Chennai after marriage,he was one of the persons whom I felt most comfortable with...He became my best friend too!!!


I was a novice when it came to cooking then(sometimes even now) and puttu was the first thing I made for breakfast on a Sunday when V was also there.Needless to say,my first attempt at puttu making was a flop;-)The puttu was a powdery mess and was crumbled..I still remember a song which V sang that day-'panamullavan puttu thinnum,panamillathavan podi vaari thinnum'-which literally means,rich people eat puttu and poor people eat the powder.I don't think the translated form will produce as much laughter as the original malayalam song did-non-malayalis,please pardon me.The biggest compliment I received for puttu was also from V.Last time when he came(he is in US now) he said I have come a looooong way from 'podi vaari thinnum' days!!Thank you V.We miss you!!

Puttu

Puttu podi/powder or roasted rice flour - 1 cup
Grated coconut(preferably fresh)-1/2 cup
Salt to taste
Warm Water - as required

Method

Take a big pan and add the puttu powder.
Add salt to taste and mix well.
Add 1 tbsp warm water at a time and mix well.
Do not add water at once,add little by little till the flour becomes moist.
Keep aside for 10 minutes.
Layer the puttu mould with coconut first and then add the puttu mixture.
Add some more coconut and close the lid.
Steam it by keeping the puttu maker on a pressure cooker or a regular puttu making vessel for 5-7 minutes.
Remove from mould carefully and serve hot!!

Kadala curry

Ingredients

Black Channa/Bengal gram/Chickpeas-100 gms(soaked overnight)
Soi bhajil masol - 3-4 tbsp OR
Roast 5 tbsp of coconut,3 red chillies,1 tbsp coriander,1 tsp cumin till brown and make a smooth paste adding enough water.You can also add 2 cloves and 1" piece cinnamon.
Onions - 2,finely chopped
Tomato - 1,finely chopped
Curry leaves - 1 sprig
Mustard seeds - 1tsp
Coconut oil - 1 tbsp
Salt to taste

Method

Pressure cook channa till done.
Take a kadai and add coconut oil,splutter mustard seeds.
Add finely chopped onions and saute till they turn light brown.
Add curry leaves and tomato and saute again for about 2 minutes.
If you are using soi bhajil masol-add the water in which channa was cooked to the masol to make a smooth paste-do not add too much,just as required.
Add the masol at this stage.
If you are using freshly made masala,add it at this stage and mix well.
Add salt to taste and add the cooked channa-mix well.
Let it boil and then simmer it for about 10 minutes.
Kadala curry should be a little watery than the normal curries,so add water accordingly.