Kezhvaragu Puttu / Ragi flour puttu - Made in rice cooker - Blogging Marathon # 27

   Today is the third day of blogging marathon .Under the theme "Occasions", today I am going to post a healthy snack "Ragi puttu ".This is an important dish, which is served at a particular occasion. It is called "Manjal neerattu Vizha " or a function ,which is celebrated to girls who attains puberty.T his is very important function for Tamilians. In older days, this function is celebrated to inform to the relatives, that the girl is ready for marriage. But this custom is not celebrated very grandly now a days. The reason why ragi puttu is prepared at this occasion, is the girl should have nutritious food .So she is served with ragi puttu, ulundhu kali  along with normal food. So introduce these kind of healthy snacks for kids and avoid fatty items. My mom used to give these kind of  healthy snacks ,when we come home after school.My mom used to prepare this in idli cooker.But I came to know ,the idea of steaming puttu in rice cooker came after Saras made rice puttu in the rice cooker.

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#27

Ingredients:
1.Ragi flour                    -              1 cup
2.Water                           -              2 to 3 tbsp.
3.Salt                               -              1/4 tsp
4.Sugar                            -              2 tbsp.
5.Grated coconut             -              1/4 cup
6.Crushed cardamom       -              a pinch

Method:
* Take a muslin cloth or dhoti piece ,wash it well .Take the container of the rice cooker and add 2 cups of water to it. Take the vegetable steamer ,place the wet dhoti over it like in the picture.

 

* Take the ragi flour and spread it on the wet cloth as in picture.Spread it evenly .We are going to steam the raw ragi flour.The reason for this is, when we cook the  raw flour, then the puttu will not have lumps.So this step is important .

* Cover the flour well,so that the flour is covered fully. There should not be any gap. Close the rice cooker .Press the steam button and steam it.

                                                    
                      * Steam the flour for 5 minutes .My rice cooker has steam setting for 5 minutes. But if you have some other rice cooker,just check the clock for steaming.

 

 

* When the flour is steamed,transfer it to another bowl.Take a cup,add 3 tbsp. of water and salt together.Now slowly add the water drop by drop. Mix the flour well,so that it does not have any lump.

* After adding water,we can check the consistency of the flour ,by taking it in hand.When we press it ,it should form shape as it is shown in picture.

 

* Now when we press it ,the flour should crumble again ,without any lumps.This is the right consistency.Now our flour is ready to get steamed .Steam the flour for 10 minutes ,by placing it on the muslin cloth again.

*

* After 10 minutes,the puttu is ready.If we are going to steam the puttu in idli maker, then add water to the container ,take the idli plate and place the dhoti ,which contains ragi flour,on it. Then steam for 10 minutes.Mix it with a spoon

 

* Take the puttu in a wide plate,add melted ghee.

 

* Add enough coconut flakes to the puttu and mix it with the ghee.Add sugar and cardamom pwdr, according to our taste.

 

* Serve it hot with banana or kadalai curry.

Kids will surely enjoy these healthy treats.My mom used to feed these and now we are feeding it to our kids.Hope this culture continuous throught our generation.