Puttu & Kadala curry!

Puttu & Kadala curry is one of the most popular breakfasts of Kerala. You can also serve puttu with ripe bananas, steamed plantains, egg curry, fish or meat curry.

I use instant puttu mix. All you need to do is mix the flour with warm water, fresh coconut and salt. Add enough water until it holds shape when you form a ball. But don’t make it like dough by adding too much water. I use a puttu maker that sits on top of the pressure cooker vent. The steam coming out of the cooker vent will cook the puttu in 3 to 5 minutes. Priya has posted a pictorial on making puttu here. Another pictorial here. Using coconut shells instead of puttu maker(shown in the second pictorial) is another method, but I haven’t tried that yet. Make a hole on the bottom of the halved coconut shell, fill it with the wet puttu mix, and place the coconut shell on top of the cooker vent for steaming.

Here is how I make kadala curry:
Black chana – 1 cup
Red onion – 1 big
Garlic – 4 to 5 cloves
Ginger – 1 small piece
Green chillies – 3
Tomato – 1 big
Curry leaves – a few
Chilli powder – 1 tsp
Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp
Coriander powder – 1 tbsp
Garam masala – 1 tsp (optional)
Coconut milk powder – 2 tbsp (optional)
Oil
Salt

Soak black chana overnight and cook with salt and enough water.
Finely chop the onions. Crush garlic and ginger. Slit the green chillies. Chop the tomatoes.
Heat up oil in a pan and sauté the onions until they change color. Add garlic, ginger and green chillies and cook for 3 minutes on medium heat. Add all the masala powders and coconut milk powder if using, and cook until the oil separates from the sides of the pan. Add tomatoes and the chana. If there is enough water in chana, you don’t have to add any extra water otherwise add 1 cup of water. Add curry leaves and bring to a boil. Simmer for 5 minutes or until you get the right consistency.
I used Maggie coconut milk powder.

Here is a picture of puttu made with brown rice flour. Some people (like my husband) think that brown puttu is the best. Some people (like my daughter) think puttu has to be made with white flour. And there are some people (like me) think that both brown and white puttu are just as delicious.