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Sweet Rice Jaggery Puttu (Arisi Vella Puttu) is a classic Navratri delicacy that’s as divine as it is delicious. Soft, fluffy rice flour blends with rich jaggery and a hint of ghee to create a sweet that melts in your mouth and fills the home with festive aromas. In my hometown, this dish is a must for Navratri Fridays, a celebration I treasure deeply for its devotion to the Goddesses, the joy of arranging Golu, and the endless sharing of sundals and sweets with friends and family. If you’re looking for a traditional recipe that’s both authentic and irresistible, you’ve found it right here!

Traditional South Indian Sweet Rice Jaggery Puttu (Arisi Vella Puttu) served as Navratri neivedhyam, made with rice flour, jaggery, ghee, and coconut. — Authentic South Indian Arisi Vella Puttu – a sweet rice and jaggery delicacy prepared during Navratri Fridays.

This is my Periamma’s signature recipe. My mother-in-law makes Sweet Rice Jaggery Puttu (Arisi Vella Puttu) in a slightly different way—she soaks the rice, dries it, grinds it into a fine powder, then roasts the flour until golden brown. The flour is then steam-cooked, crumbled, and finally mixed into the jaggery syrup until it forms soft crumbles. This method works well, but I personally find the recipe I’ve shared below to be more authentic and perfectly consistent.

Table of Contents

Ingredients

Each ingredient plays a specific, essential role in creating the authentic flavor and texture of Sweet Rice Jaggery Puttu / Arisi Vella Puttu:

Raw Rice gives the base—once lightly fried then steam‐cooked, it’s ground or crumbled to the perfect “beach sand” texture that makes puttu distinct.
Jaggery provides natural sweetness with rich caramel and molasses undertones, much more flavorful than refined sugar for this dish.
Grated Coconut adds moisture, texture, and a mild sweetness that balances the jaggery. It also gives that traditional South Indian touch.
Cashews bring crunch and richness. Fried in ghee, they offer contrast to the soft crumbled rice.
Cardamom adds aromatic warmth and a hint of spice that complements both jaggery and coconut beautifully.
Ghee enhances all the flavors, adding its signature buttery richness and carrying the aroma of the other ingredients.
Water, Turmeric Powder, Salt are trickier but no less important—even in small amounts. The water is used to help steam-cook the rice flour to the right consistency. Turmeric adds a gentle golden hue (plus subtle warmth), and a pinch of salt intensifies the sweetness without making it overt.

See recipe card for quantities.

Instructions

Wash the raw rice 2–3 times to remove excess starch, then soak it in water for 30 minutes.

After soaking, drain the rice completely using a strainer.

Heat a pan, add about ¼ of the soaked rice, and roast it over medium flame. .

Stir continuously with a spatula to ensure even roasting. After 5 minutes, the rice will begin to sputter and turn slightly golden brown. Remove and set aside

Again add the next ¼th quantity and repeat the process till all the rice are fried nicely and we get a nice aroma. In the same way complete the rest of the rice also in two batches. The reason why we are doing in batches is to make sure that the rice is being fried uniformly without getting over burn.

Allow the rice to cool off and grind it along with cardamom to a nice and smooth powder.

Heat ¾ cup of water with turmeric and a pinch of salt until just warm.Place the rice flour in a wide plate or bowl. Sprinkle the warm water little by little, mixing as you go.

The right consistency is called “Pidicha Pidikamudiyanum, vita udhiranum”—when pressed tightly in your palm, the flour should hold its shape, but when dropped, it should crumble apart. Do not add too much water.

Grease idli plates with a little oil. Place a fistful of the moistened rice flour in each mold and steam for 12 minutes.

Once cooked, allow the rice flour dumplings to cool. Using a sieve with a rawa plate, gently press the steamed flour through with your hands. The texture should resemble fine beach sand.

Heat a teaspoon of ghee in a pan, add cashews, and fry until golden. Remove and set aside.

In the same pan, add grated coconut and roast until golden. Set aside.

Add grated jaggery with 1 tablespoon of water to the pan. Once it melts completely, strain to remove impurities. Return the strained jaggery syrup to the pan and boil until it reaches “stone consistency.” To test: drop a little syrup into water. If it doesn’t dissolve and can be rolled into a soft ball between your fingers, it’s ready.

Add the sieved, steamed rice flour to the jaggery syrup and mix well.

Stir in the ghee, fried coconut, and cashews.

Sweet Rice Jaggery Puttu / Arisi Vella Puttu

Your soft, flavorful Sweet Rice Jaggery Puttu (Arisi Vella Puttu) is now ready—perfect as a Navratri neivedhyam or a festive sweet to enjoy with your family.

Hint : For best results, always focus on the texture of the puttu—it should feel like soft, moist beach sand. If the flour is too dry, it won’t bind, and if too wet, it will turn lumpy. Steam in small batches for even cooking, and use freshly grated coconut for authentic flavor.

Storage

Store the prepared puttu in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 day.
For longer storage, refrigerate in a covered container. It will stay fresh for 2–3 days. Before serving, gently reheat by steaming for a few minutes or warming in a microwave to restore softness.

Top Tip

If you're going to make this recipe, make sure to follow this top tip!

The key to perfect puttu is texture—it should resemble soft, crumbly beach sand. Do not over-steam the rice flour, and add water gradually when mixing to achieve the right consistency. Also, test the jaggery syrup carefully—reaching the right “stone consistency” ensures the puttu holds together without becoming sticky. Following these steps guarantees a melt-in-the-mouth, authentic traditional sweet every time.

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