putu

Putu is a term used in Southeast Asian cuisines to describe various steamed rice-based desserts and cakes. The exact form and spelling vary by country, and in some places similar foods are known as puto or puttu. Putu generally refers to sweet, rice-flour–based treats that are steamed and often coconut-flavored.

In Indonesia and Malaysia, several distinct preparations fall under the putu umbrella. Putu mayang refers to flower-like ribbons of rice flour that are steamed, usually scented with pandan and served with coconut milk and palm sugar. Putu bambu (or bamboo-putu) is a version cooked in bamboo tubes, yielding a soft, cylindrical cake. The batter is typically made from rice flour or glutinous rice flour, blended with coconut milk, sugar, and sometimes pandan, and the finished cakes are garnished with grated coconut and palm sugar.

In the Philippines, the closest and more widely known item is puto, a steamed rice cake that comes in plain or flavored varieties and is sometimes topped with cheese or salted egg. A bamboo-steamed variant called puto bumbong exists and is traditionally enjoyed during certain festivals. The term putu is not commonly used in the Philippines for these foods, though transliteration differences can occur.

Cultural context and serving: putu snacks are commonly sold as breakfasts, snacks, or street foods in markets and fairs. They are typically paired with coconut milk, sugar syrup, or grated coconut and enjoyed for their light, rice-based texture.

Related terms include putu mayam, putu bambu, and puto. Puttu (a steamed rice cake from Malayalam cuisine) is a distant linguistic and culinary relative in the broader family of steamed rice cakes.