Oats Puttu

Create the Puttu Mixture

• Transfer the ground oats to a large mixing bowl. Add the salt and optional cumin seeds, and mix well with your fingers.
• Sprinkle water, one tablespoon at a time, over the oats flour. Use your fingertips to gently mix and break down any lumps. The goal is a moist, crumbly mixture resembling wet sand.
• To test for the correct consistency, take a small portion of the mixture in your palm and press it gently. It should hold its shape. When you press it further, it should crumble easily. If it's too dry, add a little more water. If it's too wet and pasty, add a tablespoon of the ground oats flour.
• Cover the bowl and let the mixture rest for 10 minutes. This allows the oats to absorb the moisture evenly.

Assemble the Puttu Steamer

• Fill the base of the puttu steamer (puttu kudam) with 2-3 cups of water and bring it to a boil.
• Place the perforated disc at the bottom of the cylindrical steamer tube (puttu kutti).
• Start by adding a 1-inch layer (about 2 tablespoons) of grated coconut at the bottom.
• Gently spoon in about 3-4 tablespoons of the prepared oats mixture over the coconut. Do not press or pack it down.
• Alternate with another layer of coconut and then the oats mixture. Repeat until the cylinder is filled, finishing with a final layer of coconut on top.
• Close the lid of the puttu kutti.

Steam the Puttu

• Once the water in the base is boiling and steaming, carefully place the filled cylinder on top of it.
• Steam on medium-high heat for 8-10 minutes.
• The puttu is perfectly cooked when a steady stream of steam escapes from the holes on the lid of the cylinder.
• Turn off the heat. Let it sit for 1-2 minutes before removing the cylinder from the base to avoid burns.

Serve

• Carefully open the lid. Using the back of a long spoon or a wooden skewer, gently push the steamed puttu from the bottom onto a serving plate.
• Serve immediately while hot with traditional accompaniments like kadala curry (black chickpea curry), banana, papadum, or a sprinkle of sugar.