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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 fused with foreign flavors, Kerala boasts a rich repertoire of culinary concoctions that have captivated the palate and taken its cuisine to delicious heights.

Discover fascinating, magical and delicious dishes of Kerala

The fragrance of spices, scent of Thalasseri Biriyani, delicious smoky Nenthrakka chips, sweet prathamans, spicy pickles, spicy karimeen pollichathu and innumerable culinary delights showcase the art of cooking in Kerala. With vegetarian and non-vegetarian concoctions to delight the taste buds, one of the most talked about culinary experiences is the 24-course Sadya served during Onam celebrations. It goes without saying that each dish stands out with the flavor of coconut and coconut oil.

Known for the coconut trees that populate every nook and corner of its verdant and lush state, Kerala has infused the flavor of coconuts into every possible dish. In fact, it is hard to find a dish without coconut in Kerala! Talking about coconuts and the incredible flavor it gives to any dish is another matter. I dare say that no guest would leave feeling empty and hungry in this land of plenty. But, I’m getting sidetracked… I just want to tell you about an exotic and divine dish that I had the privilege to try, savor and enjoy. Puttu, like Kerala, is God’s dish which is made with powdered white rice and of course coconut. As an unusual accompaniment, 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 tasty breakfast dish made with Matta rice or red rice that is just as magical.

Experience the melt-in-your-mouth heavenly puttu

Let me tell you what I enjoyed the most besides being enveloped in a cloud of fragrances, aromas and steaming dishes from this calm and fortuitous land. It is Puttu, of course! Basically a breakfast dish, Puttu is a grated coconut rice cake that is steamed in a cylindrical bamboo container 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 plantains and a side of papadams. Since jackfruit is also abundant, Puttu can be served with this sweet fruit instead of plantains. 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 foodie, 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 tasting Puttu.

This is how puttu is done:

Ingredients needed:

Rice flour 2 cups

Raw White Rice Pachari ½ kg.

Water ½ to ¾ cup

Shredded coconut ¾ to 1 cup

Salt to taste

Method:

Soak uncooked 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 pan and heat for 5 minutes. Be careful not to overcook 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 in it. Sprinkle water lightly over 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 pot to make Puttu (this is available in the market). This is very much like an Idli steamboat. It has two sections. The lower section contains the hot water and the upper section is made up of the puttu mould. There are perforated plates separating each section.

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

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

Place the puck inside the puttu maker. Check that it fits perfectly and that it is not crooked or unstable.

Fill the bottom of the puttu machine with grated coconut.

Slowly add about 6 tablespoons of coarsely ground rice flour.

Keep repeating the process alternating between grated coconut and coarsely ground rice flour.

Top the filling with grated coconut.

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

Once steam starts to come out of the bowl, lower the flame and keep it on for another 5-6 minutes or so.

Your Puttu is now ready.

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