Tuesday, December 11, 2007

Whole Grains : 4 - Sprouted Grain Puttu

I know the name sounds like a combination of latest health fad and traditional favorite. It sounds so because it is so :)) Anyways, this is my mom's recipe. The procedure seems long but its not tedious. But if you make enough of it, should last a while. Well, I don't mind waiting long time if it is so good for health. Especially, if its four different grains which are sprouted should be healthy for your body.
The four different grains she used in this recipe are : Ragi, Jowar, Bajra, Wheat. All the four grains are taken in equal proportions soaked overnight and sprouted till the shoots show off but not long enough. In India there is enough of sunshine to dry off the sprouted grains, But here, I usually use a dehydrator to dry or spread the grains on cookie sheets and place them in a oven and set at its lowest temperature. It would normally be 170 f or 200 f . Keep stirring once in a while to prevent the grain from burning on one side. It might take around 12 hrs, But don't worry it doesn't use up a lot of electricity. Once the grains are dry, you can store them in a air tight container and just run enough grains in a mixer or blender to make puttu every time you do it or you can make flour all at one time and freeze the flour or else it might get rancid quickly. My mom made this primarily as my son's weaning food, last year. But we eventually ended up using for all of us , because it is so healthy.



4 - Sprouted Grain Puttu with coconut and Rapadura



You can use this 4 sprouted grain flour to make a thin porridge like Ragi Malt by Indira of Mahanandi or into Puttu by Priya of Priya's Kitchen. Also you can add or omit any grain and use any proportions. Just use your imagination to make different combinations of grains. I one time used spelt and rye instead of wheat. I usually make a lot of flour ahead and freeze it in ziploc bags. Then I just use the flour straight from the freezer. Also I never tried eating puttu with kadala curry, the way Keralites eat. But while growing up, I was used to the sweet version of puttu with jagery and coconut. Now I add Rapadura by Rapunzel , which is nothing but jagery in powder form but organic. My husband usually likes to eat it with milk like a cereal, but me and my tot like to eat it just like that with little ghee.

Be Nourished!!!