Rava Puttu

Puttu is a breakfast dish prepared in most Kerala and Mangalore households. It is basically powdered rice or rava/semolina steamed in a special mold. You can have it sweet with mashed plantains and sugar or savory with kadala curry. I'm sharing my recipe of wheat rava or semolina puttu with you.

Makes 5 servings

Ingredients:
fine Rava/ Semolina - 1 cup
Coconut - 1/4th grated
Water - 1 cup ( add 1/2 tsp salt)

Method of Preparation:
1. Keep a pan or kadai(wok) on medium heat. Roast rava in the pan untill the raw smell goes.(10-15 mins).
Spread the roasted rava on butter paper to cool.
(Ideally its better to do this process on the night before you intend to make puttu.)
Before proceeding to the next step the rava MUST be thoroughly cool.
2. Put the cool rava into a large bowl. Take a tablespoon of water and pour it over the rava. Mix fast and thoroughly to get a lump-free dough.
Repeat 5-6 times. Each time you add water, mix the rava thoroughly untill it is dry (rava has the abilitly to saok up water fast). Your dough is ready when your mixture is moist enough to hold shape when pressed gently in your hands. When pressed it should crumble easily into a powder.

3. Add 1 tbsp of grated coconut and mix again.
4. If you have a puttu vessel pour water into the bottom portion of the vessel and bring it to a boil. If using a pressure cooker pour water into the cooker and close lid without the weight. Keep on high heat untill you see steam releasing from the pressure vent. Lower heat to medium.
5. Meanwhile take your puttu cone and put a heaped tablespoon of grated coconut on the perforated base plate. Spread it evenly to cover the base. Carefully put 1/5 th of the rava mixture into the cone. Over this add another tablespoon of grated coconut and spread evenly. Repeat untill the cone is full. Top with grated coconut. Close the lid of the puttu cone and place over puttu vessel or over the pressure cooker vent if using a pressure cooker.

6. Steam for 15- 20 mins. (see to it that the steam does not escape from the base of the puttu cone. If it does cover it with a thick cloth to prevent the escape of steam).
7. Push a stick through the base plate of the puttu cone to release the puttu onto a plate.
8. Serve topped with sugar and plantain.