Puttu is made by steaming rice flour along with grated coconut in a Puttu Kudam, a cylindrical container. Kadala curry is made by cooking soaked black channa (Bengal gram) with chopped onion, spices and tomatoes.

Ingredients for Puttu
Puttu mavu (rice flour) – 2 cups
Salt
Hot water
Coconut (grated)

Method of Preparation - Puttu
Just add sufficient hot water and salt to the rice flour. Mix the flour well with fingers. For making the Puttu, you may use the traditional Puttu Kudam. You may begin by adding a spoonful of grated coconut into the cylindrical container, followed by the well mixed rice flour. As you add the rice flour into the container, in between, you may also add small quantities of grated coconut. Make sure that the cylinder is just fully filled and now you may place it on the Puttu Kudam after covering the top portion of the cylinder. Allow the steam to take care of the cooking.

Your Puttu will be ready in three minutes. Have it with Kadala curry for a great combination.

Ingredients for Kadala Curry
Black Channa (black chickpea / bengal gram) – 1 cup
Small onion (chopped) – 1 cup
Coconut (grated) – 1 cup
Coriander powder – 2 tsp
Red chilli powder – 1 tsp
Turmeric powder – ½ tsp
Garam masala – ½ tsp
Coconut (diced) – ¼ cup
Tomato (chopped) – ¼ cup
Ginger-Garlic paste - 1 tsp
Curry leaves
Coriander leaves
Salt
Oil
Mustard seeds
Red chillies

Method of Preparation - Kadala Curry
First, soak the black channa (black chickpea / bengal gram) for at least ten hours by adding salt. Cook the black channa well and keep it aside. Heat one teaspoon of oil in a pan. Put the grated coconut and fry until it turns brown. To this, add coriander powder, chilli powder and garam masala. Stir all the ingredients until it becomes brown. Make a paste of this and keep it aside.

Take a pan and heat some coconut oil. Put some mustard and add red chillies. When it begins to splutter, add the diced coconut. Stir a bit. Now add the ginger-garlic paste, followed by onions and tomatoes. Add some curry leaves and stir gently. You may now add the black channa (black chickpea). Pour sufficient water and add salt. Stir well.

Now add the coconut paste kept aside to the cooked black channa. Boil the curry well. You may now garnish the curry with chopped coriander leaves and serve it ideally with Puttu. It is a great combination to relish.