Puttu (Steamed Cake)

Puttu (Steamed Cake)- A South Indian Main Breakfast dish with steamed ground rice layered with grated coconut. It is served with any one of the following- Chickpea Curry (Kadala Curry), Banana, Beef Ullathiyathu, Meen peera pattichathu (Fish in grated coconut and kukum).... etc

Total Time taken: 15 mins           Serve- 1-2 persons

Ingredients:
Puttu powder/ Puttu Podi (Rice powder) - 1 cup
Water - approximately or below 1/2 cup
Grated coconut - approxi 1/2 cup
Salt- to taste

Method:

• In a mixing bowl, take puttu powder/ podi. Add one handful of grated coconut. Add salt. Mix well with hands. Add water little by little till the puttu podi is wet. Mix well with hands. Make a disc/ ball ( see the step by step pic below) with hands. If the disc/ ball didn't break and holds by itself then that means puttu podi is wet enough.
• Keep it aside for 5-10 min. ( I usually skip this step)
• Take some water in Puttu Maker's bottom part (Puttu Kudam). And let it boil. Fix Puttu Kutti (the Cylinderical Pipe) over that.
• When the boiling sound comes, take the Puttu Kutti (the cylinderical Pipe). Check whether the lower lid is secured properly. 
• Add 2 tbsp of grated coconut. Add puttu podi on the top of it. When it reaches about the middle of Puttu Kutti , add 2 tbsp of grated coconut again. Add puttu podi till it reaches the top of Puttu Kutti. Add 2 tbsp of grated coconut. Close with top lid.
• Steam it in Puttu Maker for 5-7 minutes. Take the 'Puttu Kutti' out from' puttu kudam'.
• Take a long stick or handle of long spoon and take out the puttu by pressing it slowly on the lower lid.

Kadala Curry- Kerala Style ( Chick peas/ Chana in coconut milk and with sliced coconut

Puttu and Kadala Curry is one of the favorite and common traditional breakfast combination of a malayalee (Keralite). Kadala Curry is also a good combination with chappathi, appam, idiyappam. When I make it I make little extra so that it will go with one night dinner ( With Chappathi ) and next day's breakfast ( With Puttu). There is a proverb in Malayalam "ഒരു വെടിക് രണ്ടു പക്ഷി" - " Killing two birds with one bullet". Similarly with one dish I serve both breakfast and dinner.
Well, In this recipe you can see that I used two cups of Kadala and it serves 8-10 persons. What happened is that I made little more extra so that I can give it to my neighbor and one of my husband's colleague. Me and my neighbor "S.." have a habit of exchanging food. It all started when I became pregnant with my second kid. She used to feel sympathetic to me, seeing me struggling with my 2 year old naughty and restless son and doing cooking and other household chores. And I used to feel guilty to take it from her. She is a working lady works 5 days and cook on week-ends. And I being a house wife sitting at home. So I used to return her food containers with some dishes  when ever I can. And this episode still continues.

Well, "S.." and her husband gave me a "good" feed back about this dish. And told me that I should definitely put this in my blog. And she asked me for the recipe with exact measurement. Now a days since I started a blog I usually use measuring spoons and measuring cups so that I can post exact measurements. Earlier it was just pouring it from my 'spice containers' tuck.... tuck... tuck.... Sometimes spices/ masala will be little bit more or little bit less. Here, goes exact measurement. I am little bit confused about 'Perumjeerakam powder' I added. Whether it was 1/2 tsp or 1 tsp. Rest measurements are fine.

Serves - 8-10

Ingredients:

1) Chana / Kadala / Chick peas - 2 cup

2) Sliced Big Onion - 1-1 1/2

3) Chopped Garlic- 1 pod

4) Chopped Ginger - 1 piece

5) Green Chilly -3

6) Sliced Coconut - 1/2 cup

7) Turmeric Powder- 1/2 tsp

8) Chilly Powder - 1 tsp

9) Coriander Powder - 2 tbsp

10) Gram Masala - 1- 1 1/4 tsp

11) Perumjeerakam powder (Ground fennel seeds) - 1/2- 3/4 tsp

12) Coconut Milk - 1 tin

13) Mustard seeds

14) Oil

15) Curry leaves

16) Salt

Method:

• Soak the chana in water overnight or 6-8 hrs.
• Heat oil in pressure cooker. When the oil is hot, splutter the mustard seeds.
• Add Sliced onion, ginger, garlic, green chilly and curry leaves. Saute occasionally.
• When the onion turns brown, add chilly powder, coriander powder, perumjeerakam,  Gram masala, turmeric powder. Saute continuously. When the roasted masala aroma comes add chick peas/ Chana/ Kadala, Salt and sliced coconut. Pour water enough to cover the chana. Stir.
• Close the pressure cooker and when the steam comes out put on the weight. Remove from the flame after 3-4 whistle. Wait for the pressure to get over. Or put the pressure cooker under running cold water. When the pressure is over, open the pressure cooker.
• Add coconut milk to it. Stir. Bring the dish to boil and turn off the flame.

Uppuma / Rava Upma

Uppuma is a healthy, tasty and easy South Indian Vegetarian Breakfast. Some people have it for dinner too. I usually make it for breakfast and serve it with banana. I add plenty of vegetables, nuts etc to get the maximum nutrients and vitamins as possible from one meal. Here goes my version of Uppuma. It is a combination of vegetables likes carrot, beans and nuts like almonds and peanuts. You can avoid nuts if one of your family member is allergic to nuts.

Serves- 4

Ingredients:

1) Uppuma Rava / Roasted Rava/  sooji / semolina - 1 1/2 cup
2) Sliced Onion - 1/2
3) Chopped Ginger- 1 small piece
4) Green chilly -2
5) Toor dal - 1 hand full
6) Chopped carrot- 2
7) Chopped Beans- 4-5
8) Sliced Almonds - 1 small hand
9) Roasted Peanuts- 1 small hand
10) Water - 2- 21/2 cup
11) Oil/ butter
12) Salt
13) Curry leaves
14) Mustard seeds

Method:

• Heat oil/butter in a large pan. Add mustard seeds. After the mustard seeds popped up, add onions, ginger, green chilly, toor dal and curry leaves. Saute well.
• When the onion become transparent and starts turning brown add the vegetables and nuts. Saute well. Cover the pan for 1 minute.
• Remove the lid and add water and salt. When the water comes to boil, add rava. Mix well. Cover the pan. Open it and stir occasionally. Cook for 5-7 minutes. Remove the lid and stir. Remove from the flame.

Serves- 4

Carrot-Paneer Stuffed Chappathi

Carrot- Paneer Stuffed Chappathi is very easy to make and it is ideal for breakfast and dinner. You can serve it with Curry or Raitha. I made this last week when I felt that  I need a change from the ordinary chappathi. Besides my both kids don't  prefer curries with chappathi. They eat it plain. So  sometimes I hide vegetables in chappathi by stuffing it.

Ingredients:

1) Wheat flour- 2 cups

2)Oil/ Ghee- 1 tbsp

3) Water- more or less one cup

4) Salt

5) Carrot - 1

6) Paneer - 1/2 cup

7) Pepper powder - 1/2-1 tsp

Method:

• In a chopper, Add carrot and Paneer. Chop or grate it to fine. Add pepper powder and salt. Mix it.
• To the flour , add oil/ ghee and mix it with finger tips. Add salt and water. Add water part by part. Knead well. ( Refer the post " How to make good chappathi ). Roll the dough into a big ball.
• Make small balls with the dough. Roll out into thick chappathi. 
• Place 1 1/2 -2 tbsp of Carrot- Paneer mix on the center of the chappathi.
• Close it as shown as in picture. Press over the edges. Roll with rolling pin on the top of it.
• Heat a griddle/ pan, place the chappathi when it is hot.
• Fry on both sides. Brush ghee.

Makes approximately 10 stuffed chappathi

Source: Adapted from vanitha

How to make good Chappathi

Chappathi 

Well, this recipe is for beginners in cooking. Last week I was chatting with my cousin, 'R...' who just  got a job and moved to Chennai. She suggested to add some easy recipes. My Aunt was telling me that she moved with her friends to a new house and started cooking by themselves. I don't know whether she know to make a chappathi. If she knows then I hope that she wont kill me. "Rosychechi, How dare you even think that I don't even know to make chappathi".Anyway I am dedicating this post and next post " Carrot- Paneer Stuffed Chappathi" for her. Actually, My dear cousin, 'R..' I was actually planning to post "Carrot-Paneer Stuffed Chappathi" for you then thought that it will be good idea if I added chappathi recipe too. hee...he... Enjoy!

Makes approximately 15 chappathi

Ingredients:

1) Wheat flour - 3 cup

2) Oil/ Ghee - 1 1/2 tbsp

3) Salt

4) Water/ Milk - more or less 1 1/2 cup

Method:

• To the wheat flour add oil/ghee. Mix it with your fingertips. Add salt and water. Add water in parts. Knead with hand.Knead the flour outward from the center.The more you knead the softer it becomes.  Roll it into a big ball. 
• Cover it with a wet kitchen paper towel or cotton cloth. 
• You can keep it aside or start rolling right away. 
• Make it into small balls. 
• Sprinkle flour on the ball and rolling surface. The rolling pin should be light. While rolling the dough roll it outwards instead of rolling forward and backwards. Don't sprinkle too much flour  while rolling.
• Heat the griddle/ pan. When it is hot, place chappathi. (medium- high flame ). Press it with a wet cloth or spoon. Fry both sides.Apply ghee on both sides(optional step).

Note:

If there is leftover 'dough' keep it  in refrigerator covering with a wet paper towel. Defrost it  (dont overheat)  in microwave when you need it. When you defrost it , it will become soft. Then roll it into chappathi.

Kappa Vevichathu (Tapioca )

"Kappa and Fish curry" is one of the favorite combination of Kottayam side. It can be served any time of the day- breakfast, lunch, snack , dinner. I sometimes make it for dinner when we need a change.

Ingredients:
1.Tapioca - 2 Lb (908 gm) ( 1 'daily delight' packet)

For Grinding
2. Grated Coconut - 1 cup
3. Green chilly - 2
4. Small onions - 2
5. Garlic- 1 slice
6. Cumin- 1/4-1/2 tsp
7. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

Method:

• Boil tapioca with salt and  lots of water. Drain all the water when it is cooked. 
• Add little water and grind-ed ingredients. Mix well
• Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds. When it is popped, add curry leaves and red chilly.
• Add it into tapioca and mix well.