Steamed rice flour cakes (puto) with papaya compote

Name: Steamed rice flour cakes (puto) with papaya compote
Yield: Makes 15 cakes
Cuisine: Indian recipes
Ingredients: For the papaya compote; 2 ripe papayas, deseeded, peeled and cut into 2.5cm cubes (about 400g); 75g molasses sugar (we like Billington’s); 2 star anise; 1 cinnamon stick; 1 tsp ground mixed spice; 50ml orange juice; For the rice flour cakes; 300g rice flour; 1 medium free-range egg; 400ml tin coconut milk; 80g unrefined caster sugar; 1½ tbsp rosewater; Small drop of pink food colouring; 1 tbsp baking powder; Desiccated coconut to scatter; You will also need; A large steamer; About 15 silicone cupcake cases

Published: 31 Dec 12
Updated: 18 Mar 24

Test kitchen approved

MasterChef 2012 winner Shelina Permalloo shares a family recipe for steamed rice flour cakes with papaya compote that brings a shaft of tropical sunshine and aromatic sweetness to British tea time.

Makes 15 cakes
Takes 10 minutes to make, 20 minutes to cook

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Ingredients

For the papaya compote

2 ripe papayas, deseeded, peeled and cut into 2.5cm cubes (about 400g)
75g molasses sugar (we like Billington’s)
2 star anise
1 cinnamon stick
1 tsp ground mixed spice
50ml orange juice

For the rice flour cakes

300g rice flour
1 medium free-range egg
400ml tin coconut milk
80g unrefined caster sugar
1½ tbsp rosewater
Small drop of pink food colouring
1 tbsp baking powder
Desiccated coconut to scatter

You will also need

A large steamer
About 15 silicone cupcake cases

Method

Put all the compote ingredients into a medium pan and cook over a medium-low heat, stirring, for around 20 minutes, being careful not to let it catch on the bottom of the pan. Leave the compote to cool, then pour into a sterilised jar and store in the fridge (see tip).
For the rice flour cakes, mix all the ingredients, apart from the desiccated coconut, together in a large bowl to form a thick batter.
Bring a large pan of water to the boil, then place the steamer over it. Put the cupcake cases into the steamer (in batches, if need be), then fill each one two-thirds full with batter (my ice-cream scoop is the perfect measure). Scatter with desiccated coconut, then put the lid on and steam for 20 minutes until the cakes are firm to the touch. Remove and repeat with the remaining cases/batter. Serve the puto warm with the papaya compote.

Recipe from January 2013 Issue

Nutrition

Nutrition: per serving

Per cake

Calories: 186kcals
Fat: 5.8g (4.7g saturated)
Protein: 2.9g
Carbohydrates: 30.9g (12.9g sugars)
Fibre: 1.5g
Salt: 0.3g

delicious. tips

Make the papaya compote in advance – it will keep in the fridge for a week in a sterilised jar.

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