Puttu
Ingredients
150 g/5 oz/3/4 cup roasted rice flour
150 g/5 oz/2 cups fresh grated coconut
1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
about 3 tablespoons cold water
Directions
In a large bowl combine rice flour, grated coconut and salt. Add a few drops of water at a time and lightly mix the flour and coconut together until moistened, but under no circumstances should the mixture be wet or lumpy. Lightly fill cylinders, not compacting the mixture. Place on a trivet in a deep pan, cover and steam over boiling water for 15 minutes. Allow to cool slightly, then unmould onto a plate and cut each cylinder in 2 or 3 pieces.
Serve puttu with coconut milk and a hot sambal or curry. Tripe Curry is a traditional accompaniment. If preferred, serve pittu with coconut milk and sugar or jaggery.
Note: Millet flour, sold as kurakkan flour, may be substituted for half the rice flour.
Recipe excerpted from Encyclopedia of Asian Food by Charmaine Solomon (Periplus Editions, 1998)