Bread Puttu and Kadala Curry

 

 

    My dear friend Manju Jyotish gifted me this cute chiratta puttu maker (steel replica of a coconut shell) when she came back from her vacation in Kerala last month. I came to US last january and its been more than a year since I visited India. I didnt bring idli cooker, idiyappam maker etc with me  so I was very excited to have this puttu maker. Besides I had not seen a chiratta puttu maker even while I was in Kerala. This is really handy since it is so simple and quick to make puttu with this. Thanks a lot Manjoos :).

    My mother saw this bread puttu recipe in a cookery show, she tried it and asked me to give a try as well, since everybody loved it. It takes only 3-4 mts for this puttu to get ready and the whole preparation takes only around 5 - 10 mts. Bread puttu tasted great with thenga varutharacha kadala curry.  When you are really tired or lazy but you want to have something special or if you have some left over bread, this is your choice. You can make bread puttu with the traditonal puttumaker (puttukutti) in the same way. Here is the recipe for bread puttu and kadala curry.

Ingredients  (For 2 chiratta puttu)

Bread - 2.5 slices (I used multi grain whole wheat bread)

Grated coconut - 1/4 - 1/2 cup

Water - 1.5 - 2 tsp or as required

Method

1. Powder the bread slices(you can remove the sides of the bread) in a mixer. Put the bread powder in a bowl and sprinkle 1-2 tsp water, mix well with hands until they are just damp(no need to add salt).

2. Put the chillu (steel plate with lots of holes) inside the chiratta puttu mould, fill it with a tbsp of grated coconut, then the bread powder and top it with grated coconut. Close it with the lid.

3. Fill a pressure cooker with some water(around 2-3 cups), cover with its lid and bring to a boil. When steam starts coming out, mount the chiratta puttu mould on it. Steam cook for 3-4 mts or until steam starts coming out of the holes on top of its lid. Take the mould out and invert into a serving dish.  Have it with kadala curry or any curry you like, pappadam, ripe  banana etc.

 

Ingredients for Kadala Curry

 

1. Black Chana/Kadala - 3.5 cups cooked (soak the dried kadala overnight and cook with 1/4 tsp tumeric powder, salt and 3 - 3.5 cups water, save the water for the gravy)
2. Sliced coconut pieces (thenga kothu ) - 3 tbsp
3. Onion - 1 large sliced and chopped
4. Green chillies - 3 slit
5. Red chilly powder - 1 tsp
6. Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
7. Pearl onions - 4 sliced
8. Dry red chillies-2
9. Curry leaves - A sprig
10. Coconut oil - As required
11. Salt - To taste

To roast and grind to a paste

1. Grated coconut - 3/4 cup
2. Pearl onion - 2 sliced
3. Coriander seeds - 2 tbsp (You can use coriander powder instead, add it while making the gravy)
4. Whole spices - (Fennel seeds - 1/4 tsp, cardamom - 2, cloves - 6, Cinnamon stick - 1, Whole pepper corns - 12 - 15, star anise - 1)

 

Method

 

1. Soak the kadala overnight and cook in a pressure cooker till soft adding 1/4 tsp turmeric powder and salt. I usually cook it for 4 whistles at medium heat. Reserve extra water for the gravy. 

2. Heat 1 tsp oil in a pan and add the whole spices. Saute for a few seconds and add the sliced pearl onions. Saute for a minute and add the grated coconut. Roast until it turns reddish brown. Switch off and leave aside. Grind it to a paste when it cools down.

 

 

3. In a deep pan heat some coconut oil and splutter mustards and brown the dry red chillies. Now add the sliced coconut pieces. Saute until they turn brown,add the sliced onion, pearl onions, green chillies, little salt and a few curry leaves. Saute until they turn light brown. Now add turmeric powder, chilli powder, saute for a few seconds and add the reserved water from the cooked kadala. Bring to a boil and add the ground coconut paste and cooked kadala. Mix well and taste check for salt. Cook until the gravy achieves your desired consistency. I usually prefer a thick gravy for kadala curry.  Switch off and serve hot with puttu.