You can’t keep a Malayali without puttu for long. That too a Nasrani Christiani from Pala/ Kanjirappally. My wife knows it the better.

So, when I grated the coconut with a handheld scraper, she had other ideas too.

Puttu or Poott as we call it needs a special vessel and bamboo or the new aluminium alternatives for steaming this staple food which we had on the table every day along with any other special for that day.

Innovations brought in chiratta poott (made in coconut shell). The product then assumed the shape as in the picture against the traditional cylindrical shape. And hence the sexy name.

She prepared the rice powder, mixed with water and some grated coconut, stuffed inside the coconut shell and steamed on the whistle tube of the pressure cooker.

And the ‘spoilt mallu’ enjoyed his favourite poott, locked down in Bangalore.