When the pootharekhulu from Atreyapuram village received the coveted GI tag, under the Food category, it got the rest of the world curious about the dish. The name itself translates to ‘coated sheets’ whcih is a rather vague description of the traditional sweet prepared in Ateryapuram village on the banks of the Godavari river in the Konaseema district of Andhra Pradesh. ight as a feather, the sweet that melts in the mouth comprises paper-thin sheets of rice flour coated with ghee and folded to envelop powdered jaggery or sugar dust. Variants comprising finely chopped roasted dry fruits like pista, almond and cashew are currently popular.
It is the process that goes into making it that makes the sweet so special. The preparation centres around a specially designed clay pot and a thin rice flour batter of a milk consistency. The MTU-3626 variety of rice, locally known as Bondalu, is preferred for its taste and glutinous nature that gives it a sticky consistency.
Ganesh N from Atreyapuram takes us through the process of making the sheets of pootharekulu.
