Kambu Maavu Puttu Recipe-Pearl Millet Recipes

• Kambu maavu/Pearl millet flour – 2 cups
• Salt water – as needed ( we used around 1/2 cup)
• Grated jaggery – 3/4 cup or sugar – 1/3 cup
• Cardamom seeds – 2 nos crushed
• Grated coconut – 1/4 cup

• Take the kambu maavu/Pearl millet flour in a wide bowl.Mix salt in little water and sprinkle it in kambu maavu.Mix well.Add water such that u should be able to shape it roughly as shown in the picture.

• Now spread this kambu maavu in idli plate and steam it for 10-15 minutes till the color of flour is changed.Remove the idli plate and take the cooked kambu maavu in a mixie jar.Grind once or twice to powder it because as u steam the flour,there may be lumps formed.So we are grinding the steamed flour to break the lumps.

• Take the ground flour in a bowl.Add sugar,cardamom powder & grated coconut.Mix well and serve.If u want to add jaggery,proceed to the next step.
• Melt jaggery in a bowl adding little water.Strain the syrup and again boil till it starts to become thick n frothy.Switch off the flame.Add cardamom powder and mix this syrup with the cooked & ground kambu maavu.Add the required amount of syrup and mix well.Lastly add grated coconut,mix well and serve.

Enjoy !

NB: I felt jaggery puttu was very soft than sugar puttu.So make it as per your taste.If serving immediately,u can try sugar puttu else make jaggery puttu because it stays soft n good even after an hour.You can also make spicy version by sauting onions,chillies,ginger & curry leaves in little oil.Temper and mix everything with the cooked flour.

• ** For making homemade kambu maavu – Dry roast kambu/Pearl millet in a wide kadai in medium flame till it starts to splutter and leaves a nice smell.Do it in batches if u want to make in large quantity.Roasting takes nearly 7-9 minutes.Do not burn them while roasting.so pls be careful.After roasting,switch off the flame and allow it to cool.Grind in a mill OR Mixie for small quantity.Sieve if necessary,spread in a news paper to cool down the flour and store in an air tight box.
• Grinding the flour in mixie after steaming is very important.Else the flour will have too much of lumps.But do not over grind the cooked flour because they will stuck to the jar and becomes very thick.Run for small intervals to make it as a powder
• Do not sprinkle too much of salt water.It also makes the puttu hard.At the same time,if u add less water,puttu will become dry.
• Though sugar puttu is easy to make when compared to jaggery puttu,jaggery puttu was softer than sugar puttu.But taste wise both were very good.So make it according to your choice.
• You can also try savory puttu.Just refer my ragi spicy puttu and follow the same directions.