Kerala kitchen tools in the US കേരളം
Puttu kudam, appachatty, idiyappam press: none of them have a plug, so the question isn’t voltage. It’s whether they’ll heat on an American stove, and whether a rounded pan will sit flat on it.
Jump to puttu, appam, unniyappam and paniyaram, idiyappam or idli.
Puttu പുട്ട്
Steamed rice and coconut, made in a tube over a pot of boiling water or on a pressure cooker vent.
| Tool | Stove or rating | Good for | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sivam Stainless Steel Puttu Maker | Check the baseStainless steel is not always magnetic. Test the bottom pot with a fridge magnet. | Classic tube puttu with the pot underneath | Search on Amazon |
| iBELL 304 Stainless Steel Puttu Maker | Check the base304 stainless is usually only weakly magnetic. Check the base before using it on induction. | A Kerala brand, detachable parts for cleaning | Search on Amazon |
| KSJONE Chiratta Puttu Maker | No stove contactSits on the steam vent of a pressure cooker you already own, so it works on whatever stove your cooker works on. | Round coconut-shell-style puttu without buying a pot | Search on Amazon |
Appam അപ്പം
Lacy-edged palappam needs a deep, rounded appachatty. A flat pan won’t give you the edges.
| Tool | Stove or rating | Good for | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hawkins Futura Non-Stick Appachatty | Check the baseAluminium bowl shape. Check the listing for an induction base. | Soft palappam with lacy edges | Search on Amazon |
| Vinod Zest Non-Stick Appachetty | Check the baseAluminium body; no induction base is listed. | A lower-cost appachatty with a lid | Search on Amazon |
| The Indus Valley Cast Iron Appam Pan | Check the baseCast iron is magnetic, but a rounded bottom won't sit flat on an induction or glass top. The listing names gas stoves. | No-coating appam on a gas stove | Search on Amazon |
Unniyappam and paniyaram ഉണ്ണിയപ്പം
A flat pan with round cups. Different tool from an appachatty, though both get called an appam pan.
| Tool | Stove or rating | Good for | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nirlon 12-Cavity Paniyaram Pan | Check the baseDie-cast aluminium. Check for an induction base in the listing. | Unniyappam, kuzhi paniyaram and appe | Search on Amazon |
| Hawkins Futura Non-Stick Appe Pan | Check the baseCheck the listing for an induction base. | Unniyappam and paniyaram with a lid to steam the tops | Search on Amazon |
Idiyappam ഇടിയപ്പം
String hoppers pressed from a stiff rice-flour dough. Screw and wheel presses are easier on the hands than squeeze presses.
| Tool | Stove or rating | Good for | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Subaa Stainless Steel Sevanazhi | No stove contactHand tool, no stove contact. | Idiyappam with less hand strain: you turn a wheel instead of squeezing | Search on Amazon |
| Tapsi Stainless Steel Kitchen Press | No stove contactHand tool, no stove contact. | Idiyappam plus murukku and sev from the same press | Search on Amazon |
Idli
Steamer stands with plates. Thatte idli plates make the large flat Karnataka style.
| Tool | Stove or rating | Good for | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|
| JVL Stainless Steel Thatte Idli Maker | Check the baseSteel steamer pot; test the base with a magnet. | Large flat thatte idli, or regular idli plates | Search on Amazon |
Stove notes
Rounded bottoms need gas. An appachatty’s bowl touches an induction or glass cooktop at a single point. Cast iron is magnetic, but it still won’t heat evenly if it doesn’t sit flat.
Steel isn’t always magnetic. Many puttu pots and idli steamers are 304 stainless, which induction barely heats. Test the base with a fridge magnet, or use the steamer on a pressure cooker that does work on induction.
A coconut scraper (chirava) that clamps to the counter: search coconut scrapers.
Also for this kitchen
Other regional kitchens: Tamil, Andhra and Telangana, Maharashtrian, Punjabi, North Indian, Bengali.