Use roasted rice flour for puttu. If you can't find roasted rice flour, buy plain rice flour and dry roast it over a low heat in a non-stick pan or a well-seasoned wok or kadai.

Put the roasted rice flour and salt in a mixing bowl.

Sprinkle in the water a little at a time and mix well.

The mix should look like grated coconut or breadcrumbs. Do not add too much water or it will become sticky. The consistency is right when you compress a fistful of the mixture in your palm and it retains its shape, similar to a crumble base or pie dough pastry.

Let it rest for 30-60 mins.

Once rested, if it is too dry, sprinkle on a little more water.

Bring water to a boil in a puttu steamer. Fit the perforated disc correctly on the bottom of the puttu maker.

Grease the puttu maker with coconut oil or ghee and start filling it with the flour mixture followed by a layer of grated coconut alternately until you fill the puttu maker all the way to the top.

Now place it over the base of the puttu steamer and cook for 5-7 mins over a low heat.

Turn off the heat and let it rest for 2-3 mins, then, using a wooden spoon, gently push the puttu so it comes out clean.

Serve hot with kadala curry.

Pressure cook the channa, in water covering the channa by an inch, until soft. Don't drain the water; set it aside for later.

Heat a pan and add the dry coriander seeds followed by the cloves, cinnamon, and red chilis till dry and aromatic. Next, dry roast the shallots and grated coconut, and sauté all the ingredients till slightly golden brown.

Transfer to a mixer and grind it to a fine paste. Set aside. Heat the coconut oil in a kadai and add the mustard seeds and curry leaves and allow them to splutter.

Add the shallots and fry till golden brown, followed by the tomato and sauté till the mushy and raw acidic smell of the tomatoes is gone.

Then add the coconut and ground spice paste along with the red chili powder and coriander powder.

Season to taste.

Mix well, sauté for 3 min then add the cooked channa along with water. Allow it to boil, cover and cook.

Once the curry is thick and the oil starts separating to form a film on the top, shut off the heat and serve the curry with the puttu straight out of the steamer.