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Sweet Rice Jaggery Puttu / Arisi Vella Puttu
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4.25 from 20 votes

Sweet Rice Jaggery Puttu / Arisi Vella Puttu

Sweet Rice Jaggery Puttu, also known as Arisi Vella Puttu, is a traditional South Indian sweet made with roasted rice flour, jaggery, coconut, and cardamom. Steamed to a soft, crumbly “beach sand” texture, this melt-in-the-mouth delicacy is a festive favorite for Navratri Fridays and makes a perfect neivedhyam or dessert.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Course: Sweet
Cuisine: Indian, South Indian
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 208kcal
Author: Sowmya Venkatachalam

Ingredients

  • 1 cup Raw Rice
  • ¾ cup Jaggery
  • 2 tablespoon Grated Coconut
  • 10 nos Cashews
  • 2 nos Cardamom
  • 2 tablespoon Ghee (Clarified butter)
  • ¾ cup Water
  • ½ teaspoon Turmeric Powder
  • 1 pinch Salt a pinch

Instructions

Prepare the Rice Flour

  • Wash the raw rice 2–3 times to remove excess starch. Soak for 30 minutes.
    1 cup Raw Rice
  • Drain completely using a strainer.
  • Heat a pan, add ¼ of the rice, and roast over medium flame. Stir continuously until it sputters and turns slightly golden. Remove and set aside.
  • Repeat with the remaining rice in 3 more batches to ensure even roasting. 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 to cool, then grind with cardamom to a fine powder.

Steam Cook the Rice Flour

  • Heat ¾ cup of water with turmeric and salt until warm.
    ½ tsp Turmeric Powder, 1 pinch Salt, ¾ cup Water
  • Place the rice flour in a bowl and sprinkle warm water little by little, mixing well. The consistency should be “Pidicha Pidikamudiyanum, vita udhiranum”—firm when pressed, crumbly when released.
  • Grease idli plates with oil. Place a fistful of moistened rice flour in each mold and steam for approximately 12 minutes.
  • Once the rice flour is steam-cooked, remove it and allow it to cool slightly. Place a rawa sieve over a bowl and add the steamed rice flour dumplings. Using your hands, gently spread and press the flour through the sieve, breaking it down into fine, crumbly pieces. The cooked rice flour should have a soft, beach-sand-like texture.

Prepare the Jaggery Syrup

  • Heat 1 teaspoon ghee in a pan. Fry cashews until golden and set aside.
    2 tbsp Ghee (Clarified butter)
  • In the same pan, roast grated coconut until golden. Set aside.
    2 tbsp Grated Coconut
  • In the same pan, add the grated jaggery with 1 tablespoon of water and bring it to a boil. Once the jaggery has completely dissolved, strain it to remove any impurities or sand.
    ¾ cup Jaggery
  • Return the strained syrup to the pan, add cardamom powder and continue boiling until it thickens and reaches a stone consistency. To test, drop 2–3 drops of the syrup into a cup of water—if it doesn’t dissolve and can be rolled into a soft ball between your fingers, the syrup is ready.
    2 nos Cardamom

Combine Everything

  • Add the steamed rice flour to the jaggery syrup and mix well.
  • Stir in ghee, fried coconut, and cashews.
    10 nos Cashews
  • Serve warm as Sweet Rice Jaggery Puttu (Arisi Vella Puttu)—a perfect Navratri neivedhyam or festive sweet.

Video

Notes

Tips for Perfect Sweet Rice Jaggery Puttu

  1. Roast Rice in Batches: Always roast the soaked rice in small portions to ensure even cooking and avoid burning.
  2. Check Rice Flour Texture: After steaming, sieve the rice flour carefully. The final texture should resemble soft, crumbly beach sand for the authentic puttu feel.
  3. Add Water Gradually: When mixing water into the rice flour, add it slowly to reach the perfect consistency—firm enough to hold in a fist but crumbly when released.
  4. Test Jaggery Syrup: Achieving the right “stone consistency” in jaggery syrup is key. Test by dropping a little in water; it should form a soft ball without dissolving.
  5. Use Fresh Coconut: Freshly grated coconut gives the best flavor and aroma. Lightly roasting it adds a subtle nutty taste.
  6. Don’t Oversteam: Overcooked rice flour will become mushy and lose the signature crumbly texture. Steam just until cooked through.
  7. Serve Immediately: Puttu tastes best fresh and warm. If storing, reheat by steaming briefly to restore softness.
  8. Customize Nuts and Flavor: Add cashews, almonds, or raisins for extra crunch, and cardamom or a pinch of saffron for aroma.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 208kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 3g