TAMIL RECIPES
The cuisine of Tamilnadu is one of the oldest among the Indian culinary delicacies. The main food of the Tamils is rice along with vegetables and pulses.In fact, it is the land of true vegetarianism. Now people have started to enter the non-vegetarian segment as well. Tamilnadu is known the world over for its delicacies like Idli, Pngal, Dosa, Vada, smabar and rasam.
The cuisine of Tamilnadu varies among the different communities too. Some worth mentioning are Chettinad, kongunad,etc. The recipes of Tamilnadu have a lenient use of spices like curry leaves, tamarind, coriander, ginger, garlic, pepper, cloves and coconut.
RICE FLOUR PUTTU RECIPE 
Ingredients
Roasted rice flour
4 cups
Salt
2 tsp
Boiling water
4 cups
Freshly grated coconut
1 cup
Corainder powder
1 tbsp
Cumin powder
1/2 tbsp
Turmeric
1/4 tbsp
Salt
to taste
Bread crumbs and egg
Oil
for frying
Method
- In a large bowl, mix flour and salt with boiling water with a wooden spoon. As mixture cools mix flour with your hands to form a pebble-like texture.
- In a kulal or puttu steamer, layer the flour mixture with a handful of grated coconut. Repeat the process till the kulal is almost filled. Finish with a layer of coconut.
- Steam and serve hot.
RAAGI FLOUR PUTTU RECIPE
Kurakkan (Raagi or red millet) is grown commonly in the northern areas of Sri Lanka. Red millet flour is dark in colour and the puttu has a pleasing warm, dark tone as a result of this. Affectionately called "the black puttu", it is eaten with freshly scraped coconut and pieces of jaggery.
Ingredients
Red millet flour
1 cup
Grated coconut
1/2 cups
Warm water
as required
Salt
to taste
Method
- Add salt to the warm water. Add water slowly to flour, stirring it with a wooden spoon to form a paste.
- Using your hands, work mixture till it breaks into small round pieces.
- Add grated coconut.
- Steam in a puttu steamer—either the kulal or a neethu-petti.
SEMOLINA PUTTU RECIPE
Ingredients
Semolina
2 cups
Salt
to taste
Water
1 cup
Grated coconut
1 1/2 cups
Method
- Roast semolina slightly. Set aside to cool.
- Add salt to semolina. Add water and mix. Allow it to stand for half an hour.
- Work the semolina with your fingers into small pebbles-like balls.
- Add grated coconut.
- Steam in the puttu steamer—either a kulal or a neethu-petti.
AALANGGAI PUTTU RECIPE
Though called a puttu, this is also a sweet snack. It takes its name from its shape like the fruit o f the Aalai' (banyan) tree.
Ingredients
Roasted rice flour
1 cup
Salt
1/2 tsp
Thin coconut milk
2 cups
Roasted black gram
1/4 cup
Jaggery pieces
1/2 cup
Thin coconut milk syrup
1 1/2 cup
Method
- Mix rice flour and salt in a bowl.
- Boil coconut milk.
- Pour into flour and stir till smooth.
- When the mixture has cooled add black gram flour and mix well.
- Form into small balls, about 2 cm in diameter.
- Steam in neethu-petti or any steaming vessel.
- Boil the jaggery pieces and coconut milk into a syrup.
- Add to the puttu. Stir and serve.
SUGAR PUTTU RECIPE
Ingredients
Roasted rice flour
1 cup
Roasted split green gram
1/2 cup
Water
1 1/2 cups
Coconut milk
1 cup
Salt
1/2 tsp
Grated coconut
1/2 cup
Ghee
2 tbsp
Cardamom powder
1/2 tsp
Sugar
1 1/2 cups
Method
- Wash the green gram and cook in water. Do not overcook it should be whole, not mushy.
- Drain and grind fine.
- Boil coconut milk and salt.
- Place rice flour in a bowl. Add the boiling coconut milk and stir to a grainy texture.
- Add the ground green gram and grated coconut. Mix well.
- Steam till cooked.
- Transfer to a serving bowl. Add ghee, cardamom powder and sugar immediately. Mix well.
- Serve warm.
BLACK GRAM FLOUR PUTTU RECIPE
Ingredients
Rosted white flour
2 cups
Roasted black gram flour
1 cup
Salt
1 tsp
Water
1/2 cups
Grated coconut
2 cups
Method
- Boil water with salt.
- Add to rice flour and mix to form a grainy texture.
- When cool, add black gram flour and mix.
- Add the grated coconut and mix together.
- Steam in a puttu steamer.
SPINACH PUTTU RECIPE
Ingredients
Red millet flour
1 cup
Spinach chopped fine
200 grams
Cold water as required
Green chillies chopped fine
2
Medium sized onions
4
Grated coconut
1/2 cup
Salt
Method
- Mix red millet flour and spinach.
- Sprinkle water and mix to form pebble-like balls. Sprinkle more water if required.
- Add remaining ingredients and mix together. Ensure that the mixture retains its pebble-like consistency.
- Steam in a puttu steamer.
TAPIOCA PUTTU RECIPE
Ingredients
Tapioca Flour slightly roasted
1 cup
Grated coconut
1 cup
Green chillies chopped
3-4
Medium size onion chopped fine
1
Salt
1/2 tsp
Method
- Mix together tapioca flour, grated coconut, green chillies, onions and salt.
- Sprinkle water as you mix with your fingers, forming a grainy texture.
- Steam in a puttu steamer.
HOPPERS APPAM RECIPE
Ingredients
White rice flour
2 cup
Dry yeast
1 tsp
Sugar
1 tsp
Water
1 cup
Coconut milk
1 cup
Baking powder
1/4 tsp
Salt
1/2 tsp
Method
- Add yeast and sugar to half cup water. Leave for 10 minutes or so, till it froths.
- Place rice flour in a bowl. Make a well in the centre and pour yeast mixture in. Stir to form a paste. Add remaining water if necessary.
- Cover and leave to ferment for at least 12 hours.
- Set aside 4 tablespoons of coconut milk, adding the rest to the dough.
- Add baking powder and salt. Mix thoroughly and set aside for half an hour.
- Heat the little 'hopper pan' and grease it by brushing the surface with a piece of cloth dipped in oil. Pour 2 tablespoons of batter and, lifting the pan off the stove, rotate so that the batter coats the sides. Cook over medium flame.
- Cover with a lid and cook for about 3-4 minutes. Lift the lid. The edges should have turned brown.
- Remove lid. (Some of the coconut milk set aside earlier can be spooned into the centre of the hopper if a creamier centre is desired. Allow to cook.) Slide hopper out of pan with a wooden spatula.
- The plain hoppers may be eaten with the remaining coconut milk and coconut chutney.