Puttu from whole wheat atta

Makes: 1 puttu
Serves: 2

You will need

1 cup ( 225 g ) whole wheat atta ( do not dry roast whole wheat atta )
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup grated coconut ( you can reduce the quantity of grated coconut )
Puttu maker

Method

Take a big flat bowl. Add 1 cup whole wheat atta and salt. Sprinkle water and mix it with fingers. Mix it slowly so that it won't roll into small balls.

Break any whole wheat balls which forms during mixing. Spray water little by little. ( Please note that to mix a cup of whole wheat atta, one may not need more than 1/5th of a cup of water).

After mixing atta; the mixture should be just wet or moistened atta (un- like chapatti dough or batter for dosa). Whole wheat atta should not be dry but wet enough for steaming . Keep aside for half an hour.

Fill this whole wheat atta mixture in Puttu maker / gadget for making puttu. This puttu maker / gadget will essentially have a sieve at the bottom. Place a 5 mm layer of grated coconut at the bottom.

The filling should be in such a way that a 5 mm thick layer of grated coconut should be layered every 3 – 4 inch thickness of whole wheat mixture; while filling. Top it with liberal layer of coconut scraping.

Steam it on the pressure cooker on medium flame for 5-8 minutes till a consistent stream of steam emanates from the top of puttu maker. Push the puttu from the puttu maker with the help of a thin rod.

Important while filling: Do not apply pressure on the filling. The filling should be packed loosely inside the puttumaker. Else the puttu will come out like a missile (there will be a pressure built up beneath it and steam will not pass through it) and will end up as a big disaster.

Payar Thoran

Cherupayar in Malayalam
Moogu in Konkani
Green gram in English

Serves: 2 - 3

You will need

1 cup ( 200 g ) moong / green gram ( cherupayar / moogu )
2 teaspoon oil
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds ( jeera )
1/4 teaspoon urad dal

For Coconut paste ( thenga thirummiyathu ):

1 cup ( 100 g ) coconut, grated
3/4 teaspoon red chilli powder
1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
6 cloves garlic, crushed ( optional )

Mix all the ingredients together and keep aside.

Method

Wash and clean green gram / moong / cherupayar. Soak in 2 cups water for 5 hours or overnight. Add 1 teaspoon salt. Close cooker. Bring to full pressure on high heat till 2 whistles. Switch off the the heat and allow the cooker to cool naturally.

In a frying pan or kadai, heat oil. Add mustard seeds. When they splutter ad cumin seeds ( jeera ) and urad dal. Saute for 2 minutes.

Add cooked moong and coconut mixture. Add extra 1/4 teaspoon salt if you required. Mix well. Cover with a lid and cook on a low heat for 10 minutes or until done and fragrant.

Serve with puttu.