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Golu Photos and Rice Flour Puttu
October 8th, 2008 Madhuram Posted in Festivals of India, Food Blog Events, Sweets, Vegan Sweets | 
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It seemed like Navarathri started just now and it’s already the 9th day, Saraswathi Pooja. Happy Pooja holidays everybody. We prepare a lot of sweets and sundals these holidays, but “puttu” is very important and our favorite too.
This puttu is different from what the Keralites prepare. It’s made with rice flour, grated coconut and jaggery. The process is also time consuming but worth every effort. Traditionally it’s prepared by soaking raw rice in water, draining it, spreading it on a cloth and powdering the rice, while the rice is still damp. But to make the process more simple store bought rice flour is used. This is especially prepared on a Friday and is distributed to everybody who visits our home to see the Golu. I’ve prepared it successfully a couple of times 3 years back, but now I have totally forgotten the procedure. Fortunately my mother is here and she prepared it this time. It came out very well and I wanted to record it before I forget it once again.
2. Boil little water (around 1 cup) with salt and turmeric powder.
3. Sprinkle as much water as required in the toasted flour little by little. The correct consistency is, you should be able to form balls, but at the same time you should also be able to crumble it back into powdered form.
4. Steam this flour mixture for 20 minutes. My mother filled little water in a big frying pan, placed a small trivet in the bottom and used the vegetable steamer which came alongwith my electric rice cooker to steam the flour. Wet a cotton cloth and pour the prepared rice powder in it and cover by bringing the ends of the cloth over the flour and place it on the vegetable steamer and close the frying pan with a lid.
5. Once the flour is steamed, transfer this mixture to a big plate and spread it. If it has lumps sift it using a sieve.
6. Meanwhile in another vessel add the jaggery and water just enough to cover the jaggery and melt it.
7. Sieve the jaggery solution to get rid of any impurities.
8. Again pour it back in the vessel, add the coconut, cardamom powder and pachakarpooram and let this mixture boil.
9. When a drop of the jaggery syrup is dropped in cold water, you should be able to form it into a ball. When you reach this consistency switch of the stove and remove the vessel from the stove.
10. Now add this mixture little by little to the steamed flour and simultaneously mix the flour and jaggery syrup with the other hand using a spatula. I have a big wooden fork which is simply perfect for this job. Be careful because the syrup will be very hot and it will scald your skin if it drops.
11. In a dry skillet toast the cashew pieces and add it to the prepared Puttu.
2. Cashewnuts can be toasted in ghee. Heat 1 tablespoon of ghee and fry the cashews in it and add it to the Puttu. This keeps well for a week.
This is my entry for the following events:
1. Vaishali’s Sweet Vegan.
2. Srivalli’s JFI-Festival Treats.
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October 18th, 2008 at 9:03 pm
Madhu..thats such a lovely kolu..so beautiful…thanks for sending the entry!
October 13th, 2008 at 10:02 am
I love puttu. Have never tried making it so far because I’ve always thought it is too time consuming.
October 12th, 2008 at 11:19 am
such a beautiful golu and excellent look madhu. Dont u invite me to have the puttu on golu day. perfect combo.
October 12th, 2008 at 9:27 am
Golu looks marvellous Madhuram..feel like home..really miss everything, really with work and other stuffs am missing everything here..delicious puttu, my mom used to prepare this puttu..love them like anything..Happy to see the golu pictures..
Thank you very much Priya. I also miss Chennai a lot. Even though we try to keep up with the traditions it’s simply not the same.
October 10th, 2008 at 2:58 pm
The golu looks divine. How talented you are, Madhuram! And thanks for this lovely, lovely entry to Sweet Vegan. I’ve never made puttu before, and this sounds delicious.
October 10th, 2008 at 9:02 am
yes madhu ,u can get this at Ushas store ,malvern….look for Puttu Podi..(kerala products) u can use as such no need to fry
regards
vrinda
October 10th, 2008 at 8:22 am
The dish looks great.Must try it.I loved your golu very much.Wishing you a very happy vijayadesami.
Thank you very much Anila. We all loved S so much.
October 10th, 2008 at 7:30 am
Belated Seasons’ greetings.
We make this specially for the function celebrated when girls come of age.