Craving a sweet that’s rich, comforting, and ready in minutes — without deep frying or complicated steps?
Then this Chettinad Rangoon Puttu is going to steal your heart.
It’s soft, mildly sweet, studded with raisins and cashews, and loaded with the delicious aroma of ghee and cardamom. One bite and you’ll understand why this dish has been loved in Tamil homes for generations!
What is Rangoon Puttu?
Rangoon Puttu is a classic sweet from the Chettinad region of Tamil Nadu, influenced by the trading heritage of Chettiars — especially their historical travel connections with Burma (Myanmar), once called Rangoon.
It’s traditionally made during:
- Festivals like Aadi Pooram, Navratri, and Pongal
- Special family celebrations
- Home poojas and offerings
Unlike regular puttu, this version is made with:
✔ Roasted rava
✔ Melted jaggery syrup
✔ Coconut & crunchy nuts
No puttu maker needed, this is a pan-cooked sweet delight!
Why You’ll Love This Sweet
- Wholesome – contains jaggery & coconut, no refined sugar
- Quick – 15 minutes start to finish
- Festive flavours without much effort
- Kid-friendly and perfect for snack time
- A great prasad (offering) for poojas
Ingredient Breakdown
- Rava (Sooji / Semolina) – gives the soft, grainy texture that absorbs flavours beautifully
- Jaggery – natural sweetness + iron rich
- Coconut – enhances aroma & adds moistness
- Cashew & Raisins – every bite has crunch and burst of sweetness
- Cardamom Powder – the traditional dessert fragrance everyone loves
- Ghee – richness + that irresistible glossy finish
Vegan Swap 🌱: Replace ghee with coconut oil and skip ghee drizzle while serving.
How It Comes Together
First, you’ll roast cashews in a little ghee until they turn golden. Add raisins so they puff up beautifully. Set them aside.
In the same pan, sauté freshly grated coconut — just enough to remove moisture and release aroma.
Now make your jaggery syrup and keep it ready.
Then, roast rava in ghee — this step gives puttu its signature flavor while keeping it non-sticky. Pour in the warm jaggery syrup and stir gently as the rava absorbs all that sweetness.
Once thickened, fold in cardamom, roasted nuts, and coconut. Cover and steam on low heat for a few minutes.
And there it is… soft, warm Rangoon Puttu, ready to serve with a final drizzle of ghee!
Pro Tip💡: Don’t add too much water — you want it fluffy, not sticky.
What to Serve with Rangoon Puttu
- A hot cup of filter coffee (perfect combo!)
- Herbal tea or masala chai
- Serve as a South Indian meal dessert
Pro Tip💡: Always melt jaggery and strain — it removes sand or impurities for the perfect smooth texture.
Perfect for Festivals & Parties
Making for a group? Just scale the ingredients 2x or 3x, and you’ll have a large batch ready effortlessly.
Stays fresh longer than many milk-based sweets — best when feeding a crowd.
Packing for Travel / School Snacks
✔ Pack in airtight stainless steel boxes
✔ Layer a butter paper to prevent sticking
✔ Great for kids’ snack break — keeps energy high
How to Store Rangoon Puttu
- Room Temperature: 1 day
- Refrigerator: 3–4 days (store airtight)
- Freezer: Not recommended — coconut changes texture
How to Reheat
- Heat on low flame for 2–3 mins
- Or microwave 20–30 seconds
- Add a drop of ghee to freshen flavors
Substitutions
| Ingredient | Swap Option |
|---|---|
| Jaggery | Brown sugar / Coconut sugar |
| Ghee | Coconut oil (Vegan-friendly!) |
| Rava | Fine broken wheat (texture changes slightly) |
| Cashews | Almonds or peanuts |
Other Related Recipes You Might Like:-
- Kalathappam — soft, spongy Kerala-style rice cake — another steamed rice-based treat that pairs well with chutneys.
- Banana Ada — sweet, steamed banana-filled rice parcels — a great sweet steamed sibling to puttu.
- Ukadiche Modak (Steamed Modak) — traditional steamed sweet dumplings — similar steam-cooking technique and festive feel.
- Thattai (Indian Rice Crackers) — crunchy rice-based crackers — a contrasting crunchy snack to serve alongside soft puttu.
- Maddur Vada — crispy Karnataka-style fritters — perfect tea-time companion for puttu.
- Chammanthi (Coconut Side Dish) — fresh coconut chutney — classic dipping partner for steamed rice dishes.
- Coconut Therattipal — melt-in-mouth coconut sweet — a coconutty dessert that complements rice-based breakfasts.
Chettinad Rangoon Puttu
Description
Chettinad Rangoon Puttu is a soft, melt-in-your-mouth South Indian sweet made with roasted rava, jaggery, coconut, and ghee-roasted nuts. This traditional Chettinad recipe is simple to make yet bursting with rich, comforting flavors. Perfect for festive occasions or as a quick homemade dessert, it brings a taste of authentic Tamil Nadu right to your kitchen.
Ingredients
To make rangoon puttu
Instructions
Prep Work
-
Grate the coconut
Use a manual grater or food processor to finely grate the coconut. Set it aside for sautéing later.
-
Chop the cashew nuts
If the cashew nuts are large, chop them into smaller pieces for even roasting and better texture. -
Melt and strain the jaggery syrup
Dissolve jaggery in water over low heat, stir until fully melted, and strain to remove impurities.
Method
-
Roast the nuts and raisins
Heat ghee in a pan, roast cashew nuts until golden, then add raisins and sauté until plump.
-
Sauté the coconut
Add ghee to the same pan, sauté grated coconut for 3-4 mins. Set aside.
-
Make jaggery syrup
In a saucepan, dissolve jaggery in water until melted. Turn off heat and keep aside.
-
Roast the rava
Add ghee to a pan, roast semolina until it turns fragrant and slightly golden.
-
Combine rava and jaggery
Pour the melted jaggery into the roasted rava and mix well until thickened. -
Add flavors and nuts
Add cardamom powder, roasted cashews, raisins, and sautéed coconut. Mix everything thoroughly.
-
Cook the puttu
Cover the pan and cook on low flame for 5 mins. -
Serve
Once done, serve hot with a drizzle of ghee if desired.
Equipment
Affiliate Disclosure: This post contains Amazon affiliate links, i.e., when you buy any product using the links below, we get commissions. but it doesn’t cost you anything extra. If you do purchase any product using the given links, we thank you in advance!
Nutrition Facts
Servings 10
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 220kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 8g13%
- Saturated Fat 4g20%
- Cholesterol 5mg2%
- Sodium 15mg1%
- Potassium 75mg3%
- Total Carbohydrate 35g12%
- Dietary Fiber 2g8%
- Sugars 18g
- Protein 3g6%
- Vitamin A 30 IU
- Vitamin C 1 mg
- Calcium 20 mg
- Iron 1.2 mg
- Magnesium 15 mg
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
User Reviews
Nice