Thursday, April 22, 2010

Puttum kadalayum (Steam cake with chick pea curry)

Wow! puttum kadalayum is THE perfect combo for breakfast for me.. a real delicacy of every Kerala household.. I jus love the combination n would 'gulp' double the quantity of breakfast I would have if its some other variety.. This is a big hit in thattukadas (the dhabas / roadside 'after 12 pm' shops) a low cost dish in our God's own country and people cherish it a lot that they forget the ambience n stuff and jus get into the best thattukadas and order in bulk n eat tummy full.. Now, thats the ranking for today's menu.

However, some of us might have a bad experience of puttum kadalayum since they r usually a regular at hostels due to its low cost and puttu there is often too hard and the curry, too watery... However, I assure you that all those 'haunting' dreams would leave you if you try this out! Definitely!

Ingredients for Puttu / Steam cake

Rice flour : 1 cup
Grated coconut : 1/2 a cup
Salt : 1/2 tspn
Boiled water : 1/4 cup
Plain water : a little
  • Add salt to rice flour and mix well. Add boiled water to the flour and mix well with a spatula/spoon. 
  • Sprinkle plain water gradually and mix with your hand carefully breaking big rice balls to tiny ones. Mix water until the flour is moist or wet enough to steam.If you feel you cannot break the balls, just run it in your grinder for once and it'll come out well.
  • Take a puttu kutti(a cylindrical vessel) and put a 1/2 inch layer of grated coconut and then add about 2-3 inch layer of rice flour and then again grated coconut and continue the process until you reach the top. Remember not to stuff rice flour in such a way that pressure couldn't come out while steaming. Add them very softly; alright! think that the flour n coconut would get hurt if you press.. So, thats the idea, gotcha?!
  • Close the lid and keep it over the puttu kudam/pot (which comes along with the puttu kutti) which should contain water enough to steam.
  • Keep over high flame and wait until steam comes from the holes in the upper lid.
  • Push from the lower end with a spoon to a serving dish and serve hot with... what?? kadala curry is on the way.. wait now!
Ingredients for kadala/chick pea curry

To roast, we require

Grated coconut : 1 cup
Turmeric powder : 1/2 tspn
Chilly powder : 2 tspn
Coriander powder : 1 tspn
Fennel seeds powder : 1/2 tspn
Cardamom : 1 no.
Cloves : 1 no.
Cinnamon : 2 inch piece 

For seasoning, we require

Mustard seeds : 1/2 tspn
Dried red chilly :3 nos.
Sliced shallots : 7 nos.
Curry leaves : 2 sprigs

Black chana/chick pea : 1 cup
Finely sliced onion :a big one
Coconut oil : 3 tbspn
Salt : as required
  • Soak chick pea overnight or for about 6-8 hours and pressure cook with a little salt until you hear about 10 whistles on your cooker and keep aside to cool.
  • Take a tawa/pan and pour 1 tbspn of oil and add spices and saute for a minute. 
  • Add grated coconut along with turmeric powder and saute frequently under low flame.
    Once the coconut gets roasted, add the chilly powder, coriander powder and fennel seeds powder and saute frequently and switch off the flame and keep aside to cool.
  • Add a little water and a handful of cooked chana/chick pea along with the roasted ingredients to make a smooth fine paste.
  • Take a pressure cooker, pour remaining oil, add mustard seeds and allow to splutter. Then add red chilly pieces and sliced shallots and saute until the shallots turn slightly roasted. Add curry leaves and mix well. Now, thats seasoning.. 
  • Add sliced onion along with a little salt and cook covered under low flame.
  • Add the paste and allow to mix well. Add required water to reach the consistency of your choice and add cooked chana. Check salt and add if required. 
  • Pressure cook under high flame, until you get 5-7 whistles and now, your are done!!!
Note : This recipe goes well with black chick pea and I do the 'no roast' version of this recipe with white chick pea, those beautiful cute ones, remember? Try out n Njoy!!!


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