Puttu with Kadala Curry

Prepare puttu flour: In a bowl, mix rice flour with salt. Sprinkle cold water, a tablespoon at a time, mixing with your fingers. The flour should be damp but NOT wet — when you press a handful together, it should hold its shape but crumble when touched. This is the correct consistency. Over-watered flour = dense, gummy puttu. Rest for 5 minutes. Fill the puttu mould/cylinder alternating layers of rice flour and grated coconut (starting and ending with coconut).

About 15 min

Tip: The moisture level of the flour is the most critical factor. Too wet = dense and stodgy. Too dry = crumbly and falling apart.

Steam the puttu: Fill a puttu steamer (or pressure cooker with a long cylindrical tube fitted on the spout) with water and bring to a boil. Attach the loaded puttu cylinder to the steamer. Steam for 7–10 minutes until steam emerges freely from the top holes. The puttu is done when a skewer inserted comes out clean. Carefully push the cooked puttu out onto a plate in a cylinder shape.

About 15 min

Tip: Do not overpack the puttu cylinder — leave some space for the steam to pass through.

Make kadala curry: Pressure cook soaked black chickpeas with turmeric and salt for 6–8 whistles until soft. In a pot, heat coconut oil and splutter mustard seeds and curry leaves. Add sliced onions and cook until golden. Add Kerala garam masala and cook for 1 minute. Add cooked chickpeas (with cooking water). Add coconut milk and simmer for 10 minutes until the gravy is thick and fragrant. Serve the puttu cylinder on a plate alongside the kadala curry, a ripe banana, and papadum.

About 30 min

Tip: Black chickpeas (kala chana) give kadala curry its distinctive earthy flavour. Do not substitute with white chickpeas.