Chiratta Puttu and Cheru Payar

The legendary Chiratta Puttu and Cherupayar combo is considered a match made in heaven by vegetarians across the globe. The delicate and soft Chiratta Puttu is cooked inside the chiratta (coconut shell) and takes on its shape. It is the perfect base for the rich and spicy ingredients of the Cherupayar (green gram) to blossom. This has been a specialty and mainstay in homes across God’s Own Country for a long time, and the recipe below will for sure be a hit in your home as well.

Ingredients
Raw rice flour - 1 kg
Coconut - 1
Cumin seed - 3 pinches
Chiratta - 2 or 3
Salt Water - to taste

Method of Preparation
Powder the soaked raw rice to makeputtu podi (with little grains). Roast it for a little while without causing any colour change. Add salt and cumin seed, pour a little water and rub it gently to make a mixture. Put a hole in the coconut shell (chiratta), place some grated coconut in it, and fill the shell with the mixture and put some grated coconut on the top also. Steam in a vessel for 10 minutes and serve hot.

Cheru Payar - Ingredients
Green gram - 500 g
Coconut - 1
Small onion - 40 g
Red Chilli - 8
Curry leaves - 6 g
Coconut oil - 200 ml
Mustard - 3 g

Method of Preparation
Soak the green gram in water for an hour. Boil it with little salt. Heat the kadai and temper Mustard seed, red chilli, curry leaves and small onion in coconut oil. Add green gram and grated coconut into it; mix it gently. Serve hot.

Courtesy: Michael’s Inn, Thekkady.