Puttum Payarum (Puttu with Moong dal curry)

A wonderful combo for breakfast…. Or a heavy dinner…


Puttu:

Ingredients(Serves 2 -3):
Coarse Rice Flour (Puttu podi)      --   2 cups
Water                                                        --   ½ cup or to moisten the flour
Shredded Coconut                               --   ½ cup
Salt                                                             --   to taste

Preparation:

Mix the salt in water. Add this water little by little  or sprinkle on to the flour and mix it softly. The mixing should be done carefully, so that the flour does not turn into dough form. It should be in the powdered form but wet enough for steaming.

To test the correct wetness, you can hold tight a handful of flour and when released, it should hold its shape. Now when dropped back in to the vessel, it should get powdered again.

                                              

Layer the puttukutty with grated coconut(around 2 tbsp for one layer) and rice flour, starting and ending with coconut. In a normal sized puttukutty, you should be able to make 3 equal layers of rice flour.

Take water in the puttu kudam/ pressure cooker - half full or 1/3rd full and let the water boil. Now place the filled puttukutty on the kudam and cook until steam comes out through the top – takes around 5 to 10 min.

Push the puttu out of the kutty  and serve hot.

Make sure there is enough water in the kudam/cooker before you place the puttu maker with the next batch.

Cherupayar/Whole Moong dal:

Ingredients(Serves 2 -3):

Whole moong dal        --    1 cup
Green chillies                 --   2 - 3
Turmeric powder        --   ¼ tsp
Coconut milk                 --   ½ cup
Pepper powder            --   ½ tsp
Curry leaves                  --   2 stems
Mustard seeds              --   ½ tsp
Red chillies                    --   2
Oil                                      --   2 tsp / as required for tadka
Salt                                    --   to taste

Preparation:

Soak the moong dal in water for 1 - 2 hours.This is purely optional. This helps to reduce the number of whistles from the pressure cooker.

In a pressure cooker, add the moong dal, slit green chillies, turmeric powder and water. Cook until done. It takes 2 to 3 whistles for my pressure cooker.

Open the cooker when all the pressure is released.Keep it on a medium flame. If there is no water left in the cooker, add half a cup of water. Add the coconut milk and salt. Let it come to a boil. Add pepper powder and curry leaves and switch off the flame.

Heat oil in another pan. Splutter the mustard seeds and green chillies. Pour it over the prepared moongdal curry.

Serve hot with puttu and pappadam.

Recipe Courtesy: Amma