Traditional Arisi Puttu is a very special offering for Devi during Navarathri. It`s also an auspicious dish, which requires a lot of care and patience. Elders of the family say that to make “puttu” is almost like bringing up a daughter – it requires patience, care and nurturing!!! I learnt this dish from my husband`s mother this summer and I had been wanting to make it at our home for Navarathri. I have also had multiple requests from a couple of my readers, so go ahead and try this out folks. Its a little time consuming, but very tasty and wholesome.

INGREDIENTS:

1 Cup Raw Rice.

3/4 Cup – 1 Cup Jaggery.

1/4  Cup Grated Coconut .

1 Tsp Cardamom.

A pinch of turmeric powder.

1/2 Cup Water.

Handful of cashew broken.

1 Tsp Ghee.

PREPARATION:

• Soak the raw rice for about an hour and rinse and drain all the water. Spread it on a large dry towel and allow it to dry for about an hour or so. If you are trying this in cold climates, the trick is for  the towel to be dry and so should all the rice particles.
• Gather the rice and powder it in the mixie until smooth. In India my Mother in law had ground it in the mill. I did not have that luxury and had to make do with the Prestige Mixer.
• At this point, the flour should look like this:

 

• Now transfer the ground rice flour to a dry kadai and roast it on a medium flame until the flour becomes a dull reddish brown color.
• Let the flour cool.
• Meanwhile boil about 3/4 cup of water with a pinch of turmeric.  Allow to cool slightly.
• Sprinkle the boiled water little by little on to the roasted flour and mix to moisten the flour, Do not make the flour wet, It should still be moist yet not clumpy.

 

• To aerate the flour and remove lumps, we pass it through a fine seive and use your fingers or a ladle to push the flour through.
• Collect in a newspaper.

 

• Now steam the moist flour in idli plates for about 7 mins of high steam. No need of greasing the plates.
• When done scoop out the flour, crumble and allow to cool in a plate.

 

• Dissolve 3/4 cup of jaggery in about 3 tbsp of water and keep stirring for about 7-10 minutes, This is an approximate time, as my stove is an electric glass top. A regular LPG stove could take a lot less time.
• The jaggery has to get to  a “ball” consistency – i.e  add a drop of the boiling jaggery in to a bowl of water, and try to make a ball of that jaggery. If you are able to do this, switch off the flame , add cardamom , mix and pour out the jaggery on to the roasted and steamed flour.

 

• Add the roasted cashews and slowly mix in the jaggery in to the rice flour.
• You will see sandy smooth sweet light airy Arisi Puttu. Garnish with the grated coconut which is either fresh, or lightly roasted.

NOTES:

1. This is a very traditional preparation and is also very delicate, so it takes some patience to get it right. The idea to get grainy sandy “puttu” which is light and not heavy and clumpy.
2. There are certain important aspects that contribute to the texture – slow roasting of the flour, moistening the flour just right, and of course the jaggery!
3. I have NOT tried this with the store bought rice flour, but that is an experiment for another day.