Ingredients: cup Red matta rice - or Basmati Rice, cups Fresh coconut - grated, teaspoon Salt, Vegetarian diet
Instructions: To begin making the Kerala Rice Puttu, wash and soak the rice overnight or for about 8 hours. Once the rice has soaked well drain the water and spread the rice on a kitchen towel and dry it out.Allow the rice to dry for about 20 minutes but ensure it retains a bit of the moisture, else the rice will not grind well in mixer-blender.Grind the rice till it is mildly coarse. Do not grind the rice too much as it may get lumpy. In a large mixing bowl, combine the powdered rice, salt and 1/2 cup of the grated coconut. Sprinkle 4 tablespoons of water on to the rice mixture and stir to combine well with your fingers. The puttu mixture will be crumbly. When you hold the puttu mixture tightly in the palm of your hands it will hold together like a ball, when you release it, it will break apart. That's the consistency we want to make the Puttu.Keep the Puttu Rice Mix aside for 10-15 minutes. Take a Puttu mould and place a 3 or 4 tablespoons of the prepared Puttu mixture and a 1 or 2 tablespoons of coconut in the centre and a few more tablespoons of the Puttu mixture on the top. Lightly press it and cover the pan.Prepare the Puttu steamer with water at the bottom, and place the puttu mold and steam on high heat for about 10 minutes. You will notice that after 5 to 6 minutes the steam will start releasing from holes in the top of the mold.This is when you know that the puttu is getting steamed from the inside. Allow this steam to escape for at least 5 minutes. In total the Puttu is steaming for a good 10 minutes.Once done, turn off the heat. remove the mold from the steamer and open the lid, and using a spoon of a blunt knife, push the steamed Kerala Puttu of the mold into a plate.Continue the same process with the remaining Puttu Mixture.Serve Kerala Rice Puttu Kadala Curry or with sugar & chopped bananas for a wholesome meal.