Ragi puttu is a healthy, steamed dish made with ragi flour, sweetener and freshly grated coconut. Just like the classic puttu, this ragi puttu can be enjoyed in different ways like serving it with kadala curry or green gram curry for a savoury meal. For a sweeter version, serve it with banana, sugar, ghee and freshly grated coconut for a simple snack.
Ragi Puttu Recipe
puttu, my favorite is ragi puttu of all time. I love it more than my rice puttu and wheat flour puttu. But tapioca puttu is also my favorite.
Ragi when made into puttu taste so different and healthy. Love it so much. I can have it for breakfast. I always add some bananas into the puttu when i steam them because I love to mix puttu with sugar, steamed banana and ghee. In this post, I'll show you how to make a soft, fluffy and delicious ragi puttu step by step.
About Ragi Puttu Recipe
At home, I like to include ragi in our weekly meals in various forms like dosa, porridge, cookies and ladoo, but this ragi puttu has become our favorite. It is gentle on the stomach and easy to digest, even making it suitable for babies once they start solids.
I make sure to include ragi in my families diet atleast once a week, I make either ragi idiyappam, soft ragi idli, crispy ragi dosa.
Puttu is a popular breakfast dish in Kerala and we love making it at home. This time, I tried preparing it with ragi flour and it turned out soft, delicious and wholesome. This ragi puttu follows the same traditional Kerala style method but replaces rice flour with healthy ragi flour.
More Recipes like this
Ragi, also known as finger millet or kelvaraghu, is packed with nutrients like iron, calcium, protein and is known for several health benefits like maintaining sugar levels and supporting bone health.
This ragi puttu comes together quickly, making it ideal for busy mornings, lazy breakfast or for a quick evening snack. It is simple to prepare, naturally oil free and requires only very few ingredients. You can also skip or replace sugar with natural sweeteners without compromising on taste.
It tastes so soft, filling and nutritious which works wonderfully as a breakfast or a quick after school snack. You can serve this with kadala curry, green gram curry or can be enjoyed with banana, sugar, ghee and coconut.
Ingredients
- Ragi flour : Ragi flour is the star ingredient and base of the dish. You can use either homemade or store bought ragi flour of your choice.
- Sugar : Sugar adds the necessary sweetness to the puttu and balances the taste of the ragi. Use any sweetener of your choice like regular white sugar, jaggery, brown sugar or coconut sugar.
- Salt : A pinch of salt is added to balance the overall flavour and sweetness of the puttu.
- Grated coconut : Use freshly grated coconut for best taste and rich flavour. It adds mild sweetness and a juicy bite in every spoonful. It also adds moisture and prevents the puttu from drying out.
- Ripe banana : Use ripe banana to serve alongside with puttu. It complements the ragi puttu flavour and makes it even more filling, sweet and tasty.
Step by Step Pictures
Make Puttu Flour
1)take ragi flour in a bowl. If you want extra flavour, slightly roast the ragi flour for aroma.
2)Add in sugar. Instead of sugar you can use jaggery or brown sugar as well.
3)Add in salt.
4)Mix all these till it is mixed well. The salt and sugar should be evenly mixed into the flour.
5)Slowly pour in water and mix well till a crumbly mixture is formed.
6)Rub the water into the flour until a crumbly mix is formed.
7)Just like this.
8)Don't add too much water, the puttu mixture should be hydrated but crumbly.
Toppings
9)Take ripe plantain bananas.
10)Peel off the skin from the bananas.
11)Slice them into rounds.
Assembling puttu
12)Take puttu mix, coconut and ripe banana for assembling puttu.
13)This is your puttu maker.
14)Spoon coconut on the base of the puttu maker.
15)Now spoon the ragi puttu mixture on top.
16)Place bananas on top. These will steam as the ragi puttu cooks.
17)Cover it. Place it on a steamer, usually it is over a pressure cooker. Steam cook for 8 to 10 minutes.
18)Now the puttu is steamed.
19)Unmould.
20)Serve.
Expert Tips
Add water gradually : Always sprinkle water little by little while mixing the ragi flour. This helps to achieve the perfect crumb texture. Adding too much can lead to a sticky or lumpy mixture.
Right consistency : The flour should hold its shape when pressed in your fist but at that same time it should crumble easily when touched. This is the key for a soft, fluffy puttu.
Don't over press : When filling the puttu maker, avoid packing the mixture tightly. Loosely layer it with grated coconut between flour layers gives better texture and allows steam to penetrate evenly.
Storage : Store the steamed ragi puttu in the refrigerator for up to a day or 2. Re-steam them before serving to retain its soft and fluffy texture.
Serving : Ragi puttu tastes best when served warm with freshly grated coconut, sugar and ripe banana. Drizzle warm ghee and add roasted nuts to make it richer and flavourful. For a traditional Kerala style breakfast, serve ragi puttu with kadala curry, green gram curry, kurma or chicken curry for a delicious meal.
FAQ
Q. What makes ragi puttu different from traditional puttu ?
Ragi puttu uses finger millet flour instead of rice flour, and also it is rich in iron, fiber, calcium and other nutrients. This ragi puttu uses the same steaming technique as the classic Kerala puttu.
Q. Why is my ragi puttu hard instead of soft ?
This usually happens when the flour is too dry or when you add too little water. To avoid this, sprinkle water gradually and test the crumble texture before steaming. This ensures a soft and fluffy puttu.
Q. Can I use jaggery instead of sugar ?
Absolutely ! Jaggery or brown sugar can be used as a healthier alternative.
Q. What equipment can I use if I don't have a puttu maker ?
You can steam the ragi puttu in an idli plate or in a steamer. Line a clean cloth or use a bowl to steam the mixture. The shape may differ, but the texture remains soft and delicious.
📖 Get Recipe
Ragi Puttu Recipe | Finger Millet Puttu Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cup Ragi Flour (Finger Millet Flour)
- 2 tablespoon Sugar or Jaggery
- 2 teaspoon Salt
- ½ cup Water or as needed
For Serving & Assembling
- 2 large Ripe Plantain sliced
- 2 cups Fresh Coconut grated
Instructions
- Take ragi flour in a large mixing bowl. Add in salt, sugar and mix well.
- Now add in water slowly and mix well with your hands. This will form into crumbs. The crumbs should not be dry, it should form into a tight ball when you hold it and it should crumble when you drop it.
- Now take your puttu making gadget. I used cup puttu gadget. Fill water in the pressure cooker and heat it up. Drop the holed disc inside the cup. Now start layering the funnel.
- First add some coconut in the bottom, followed by the puttu mixture, then top some sliced banana.
- Place the cup over the pressure cooker. Cook this for 7 to 10 mins till the puttu is cooked. Now flip the puttu cup and Serve this puttu hot with banana and sugar.
- If you don't have puttu funnel to make this.Follow the step till the puttu making mixture and Mix coconut into the puttu mixture. Take a clean cloth and pour the puttu mixture in it and cover it. Place this inside a steamer and steam it. The puttu wont be in traditional shape but it still taste the same.
Anonymous
Roast the ragi flour for few minutes before mixing with water try that way you will see difference. Thanks
Anonymous
Hi Aarthi,
When do we know it is done.
Thanks
Vasantha
Aarthi
@AnonymousIt wlll look cooked and colour of the ragi will be changed, you will identify it when it is done
Praba Arun
Hi Aarthi. . I got tempted and bought a puttu kudam. Is it the ordinary Ragi flour or Ragi puttu flour?
Aarthi
@Praba ArunIt is ordinary Ragi flour
Aarthi
@Praba ArunIt is ordinary Ragi flour
Anonymous
Hi apart hi how can I make it without that put tu steamer..any other easy way... Please
Aarthi
@Anonymousyes u can put the mix in a cheesecloth, tie them, and steam them
Anonymous
Can you please tell how do I mak
e it in the microwave...thank you ...😊
Aarthi
@Anonymousu can cook them in a covered bowl, with water underneath the bowl, so nothing gets dried over
Anonymous
is chemba puttu rice
brown rice or is it red rice?
is there a specific name for this rice variety like it's not a type of matta rice or samba rice?
do you make your own puttu flour?
Aarthi
@Anonymousit is not rice variety. It is a millet, ragi / finger millet
dhivis pantry
Even i love puttu very much.you can use idly pot for making puttu,place a cloth spread the puttu flour make sure not to press as u need some loose airation fr cooking puttu.and close the lid tightly.if u are using microwave use microwave idly maker or rice cooker also
Krithika Bhuvaneshwar
Where you able to cook the quantity for 4 servings in that one small puttu steamer ? Or did you have to do it multipel times ?Thanks.
Aarthi
@Krithika Bhuvaneshwari have to do it multiple times
shanky
thanks for the receipe, i dont have cloth. but i have a idly steamer, how can i use that
Aarthi
@shankyscoop the mix in idli steamer and cook
Anonymous
Hello,
I used roasted Ragi flour. But my puttu was still very powdery and not firm when I took it out. The puttu did not take the shape of the puttu mould and it broke into pieces. Do you know what could be the reason for that?
I ate it and the ragi puttu was powdery but did not have a raw taste/smell. but it was not like puttu. Do you think I did not add enough water?
Thanks,
Sucheta.
Aarthi
@Anonymousthere is no enough liquid in this and also it is not steamed enough
Vaishnavi
Hi aarthi,
Do we need to add plain water or lukewarm water to the flour..and this steamer has to be placed on the pressure cooker noe..and how much water to be filled in the cooker