CHENNAI: In the evening, as the dusk settles, North Mada Street in Mylapore feels like a slow exhale after a long, sun-soaked day. The towering gopuram of the Kapaleeshwarar Temple glows softly under fading light, its colours deepening against a sky that slips from gold to indigo.
However, the street doesn’t calm down. Shop lights flicker on one after the other. Incense mingles with the lingering sweetness of jasmine and the comforting pull of nearby tiffin stalls. Families stroll without urgency, stopping for prasadam or a quick conversation.
Amid the rush of vehicles and honks, we spot a small cart with a big queue. Its charm lies in being not so fancy or not carrying the burden of being Instagrammable. In the middle of temple crowds, flower stalls, and evening shoppers, this little eatery quietly does one thing really well: soft, steaming puttu served fresh, packed with nutrients. “These are not regular puttu. They are all made with millets and cereals, and that’s why Mylai Puttu Kadai stays unique here,” starts Yamuna, founder of the cart.
She started the eatery in 2018, much before people began the trend of healthy and mindful eating. “I was brainstorming ideas to become financially independent. My mother’s puttu was quite famous in our neighbourhood. My brother suggested carrying forward the legacy and serving the same to Chennaiites. We initially began with red rice, white rice and pearl millet. That’s when Covid 19 pandemic hit the world,” she says.
When people realised the importance of healthy eating and started exploring different means to achieve the same, Yamuna also began to delve deep into catering to that need. “I have experimented with around 40 varieties of millets and cereals to make piping hot puttu. From that, I serve the best to my customers. Even our government recognised 2023 as the International Year of Millets, bringing more spotlight on our traditional cereals,” shares the 55-year-old, adding that even kids have started choosing healthy options over junk food.
Yamuna is grateful to her brother, who helped her to start and run the cart. Anantaraman, one of the regular customers of Mylai Puttu Kadai, states, “I happened to come across this eatery two years ago when I came to the temple.
I was immediately fascinated by the idea of blending two traditional things, puttu and millets. From then till this date, I have frequently visited here at least twice a week. It effortlessly balances taste and wellness, making it a holistic plate”
As we keenly observe the setup of the stall, we come across a chart explaining the health benefits of each millet and cereal. We could see a lot of women and children coming to the eatery. “We are living in a fast-paced era. Both spouses have to work to economically balance the family. Neither of them can spend time making puttu at home because it is a long process. Moreover, millet-based puttu takes a much longer time than usual for at least four days. My ultimate goal is to make the next generation stay healthy and away from medicines,” she affirms.
Yamuna finishes off her household chores by 10 am and starts with the puttu work, which goes on till 9 pm. “I believe that every woman should be independent financially to lead a confident and dignified life. It is not easy for me to run an eatery single-handedly. I do face a lot of threats. But that doesn’t stop me in any way,” shares the owner of Mylai Puttu Kadai. Some of the millets available at her eatery include barnyard, poongar, foxtail, proso, navathaniyam, karuppu kavuni, pearl millet, ragi, white rice, wheat and red rice, among others. “Among these, wheat puttu is our bestseller, with many customers appreciating it to taste like kova,” she adds excitedly.
If North Mada Street has a pulse in the evening, Mylai Puttu Kadai is definitely one of its heartbeats. All the dishes are priced between Rs 70 and Rs 80. One can spot the small eatery on North Mada Street, just opposite Nithya Amirtham, from 5 pm to 9 pm.