Go to a delicious stay

Do you want to travel with me to discover a truly tasty path? It is said that one needs to share the goodness of life and that is what I intend to do by taking you to a practically gourmet destination known for its exquisite and exquisite cuisine. I think by now everyone has heard of Kerala, a land of stunning scenery, artistic culture, and a culinary paradise for foodies.

Interestingly, Kerala cuisine has been influenced by Dutch, Middle Eastern, Portuguese, English, Jewish and Arab traders. With indigenous dishes infused with foreign flavours, Kerala boasts a rich repertoire of culinary concoctions that have captivated the palate and taken its cuisine to mouthwatering heights.

Discover fascinating, magical and delicious dishes of Kerala

The fragrance of spices, the aroma of Thalasseri Biriyani, delicious and smoky Nenthrakka fries, sweet prathamans, spicy gherkins, spicy karimeen pollichathu and innumerable culinary delights show the art of cooking in Kerala. With both vegetarian and non-vegetarian concoctions to delight the taste buds, one of the most talked about dining experiences is the 24-course Sadya served during Onam celebrations. Needless to say, each dish stands out with the flavor of coconut and coconut oil.

Known for the coconut palms that populate every nook and corner of its lush green state, Kerala has infused the flavor of coconuts into every possible dish. In fact, it’s hard to find a coconut-free dish in Kerala! Talking about coconuts and the incredible flavor that they give to any dish is another matter. I dare say no guest would leave feeling empty and hungry in this land of plenty. But, I’m going astray… I just want to tell you about an exotic and divine dish that I had the privilege of trying, savoring and enjoying. Puttu, like Kerala, is the God dish which is made with powdered white rice and of course coconut. As an unusual side dish, Puttu is served with chickpea sauce. This spicy and aromatic sauce has a coconut base that is seasoned with red chillies, mustard seeds and curry leaves in coconut oil. There are other variants of Puttu with another savory breakfast dish made from Matta rice or red rice that is just as magical.

Experience heavenly melt-in-your-mouth puttu

Let me tell you what I enjoyed the most besides being enveloped in a cloud of fragrances, aromas, and steaming dishes from this quiet and fortuitous land. It’s Puttu, of course! Basically a breakfast dish, Puttu is a shredded coconut rice cake that is steamed in a cylindrical bamboo bowl or steel steamer. Typically served with a sauce consisting of kala chana or black chickpeas with coconut milk, spices and shallots, this dish can also be enjoyed with ripe bananas and a side of papadams. Since jackfruit is also plentiful, Puttu can be served with this sweet fruit instead of bananas. I traveled to the zenith of flavor as I savored this melt-in-your-mouth dish with sweet black coffee that brought out the gourmet in my soul.

Being a passionate chef at heart and an ambitious gourmet, I couldn’t resist trying this famous and popular breakfast dish. So I got this ancient and authentic recipe from a good friend of mine to bring back the memory and experience of savoring Puttu.

This is how puttu is done:

Ingredients needed:

Rice flour 2 cups

Pachari Raw White Rice ½ kg.

Water ½ to ¾ cup

Shredded coconut ¾ to 1 cup

Salt to taste

Method:

Soak raw rice for 2 hours. Drain the water and let it dry for a while. Grind it into a coarse powder. Stand aside.

You can also substitute uncooked rice for rice flour.

Place the coarsely ground rice in a skillet and heat for 5 minutes. Be careful not to broil the rice. Remove it from the heat and let it cool.

Next, take a large bowl or container and place the heated coarse rice flour into it. Sprinkle water lightly over the flour. The water must be mixed carefully and slowly so that the flour does not become pasty or lumpy.

Add salt to taste and gently knead the wet flour mixture until it reaches the consistency of breadcrumbs.

Take a Puttu Kutti or a Puttu making container (this is available in the market). This is very much like an Idli steamer. It has two sections. The lower section contains the hot water and the upper section consists of the puttu mould. There are perforated plates that separate each section.

Fill the bottom of the puttu machine with water. Heat until the water simmers and is hot.

Now take the perforated disc that comes along with the puttu maker.

Place the disk inside the puttu maker. Check that it fits snugly and that it is not twisted or unstable.

Fill the bottom of the puttu machine with shredded coconut.

Slowly add about 6 tablespoons of coarsely ground rice flour.

Keep repeating the process alternating between the shredded coconut and the coarse ground rice flour.

Cover the filling with shredded coconut.

Put a lid on the puttu mold and place it on the perforated plate.

Once steam starts coming out of the bowl, turn the flame down and hold for another 5-6 minutes or so.

Your Puttu is now ready.

Serve hot with kadala curry/sauce, egg gravy or green curry and papadams.