Kappayum Meenum ( Tapioca with Fish Curry )

Kappa and Meen Curry is a quintessential contribution in Kerala cuisine.
The traditional taste of Kappa and Meen Curry is still preserved uncorrupted in the toddy shops ( shops selling coconut beer ) in Kerala.

Featured here is the Kappa and Meen Curry in its original form.

A resent trend is to serve these traditional foods in 5 star hotels and in houseboats- to popularize this among the visitors- especially from abroad; to give them a taste of authentic Kerala food.

Kappa ( Tapioca ) is a tubular , rich in carbohydrate omnipresent in Kerala.

If fresh, a cut section of Kappa will look moist and fully white. A bluish tinge or dryness indicate that the Kappa is old and hence not fresh ( won’t cook well ).

Preparation of Kappa

Kappa – 500 g
Mustard – 1 teaspoon
Jeera Cumin seeds – ½ teaspoon
Green chillies – 4 , cut lengthwise
Curry leaves – 2 spring
Small onion – 5, cut into thin slices
Salt – to taste
Cooking oil – 2 teaspoon

Ingredient for coconut masala

Grated coconut -1 cup
Turmeric powder- ½ teaspoon
Red chilly powder- ½ teaspoon
Garlic – 5 cloves, crushed

Mix all the ingredients nicely. Keep aside.

Method

Cut fresh Kappa to required size after skinning and removing the vein at the centre. Wash and clean well.

Take diced Kappa in a vessel. Add water- so that all the pieces are fully immersed. Add little salt. Boil till done. Alternately pressure cook for 10- 15 minutes.

Most important : Drain off this water. Don’t use it for any other purpose.

In a kadai / frying pan, heat oil on a medium heat. Add mustard seeds. When they splutter , add jeera, curry leaves, small onion slices and green chillies. Saute well for 2 minutes. Add cooked Kappa. Mix it well. Add coconut masala and salt. Mix all the ingredients again. Cook on a slow flame for 10 minutes. Stir occasionally. Serve with Meen Curry. Here is the recipe of Meen Curry.

This is the another form of Kappa as evening snack.
Big pieces of Kappa and combination with Ulli .

Ingredients for making ulli ( small onion – chilly mixture )

Small onion -10, chopped roughly
Red chilly powder – 1 – 1 ½ teaspoon
Salt – to taste
Oil – 1 teaspoon

Method
Crush above ingredients in the mixer for 30 seconds. Serve with Kappa.

Recipe of Meen Curry

You will need

Fish pieces - 500 g (Seer fish / Nemmen / Pomfret )

Small onion - 10, thinly sliced

Ginger - garlic paste - 1 tablespoon

Red chilly powder- 2 teaspoon

Kudampuli / ( Tamarind juice )- 3 ( 3 chula soaked in salt water )

Tomato - 2 , roughly chopped

Curry leaves - 2 springs

Cooking oil- 2 teaspoon

Salt - to taste

Water- 1/2 cup

Coconut milk - 1 cup thick milk

Method

Wash and cleaned the fish. Marinate the fish pieces with salt and turmeric powder and keep aside for half an hour.

Heat oil in a meen chutty. Add small onion and fry till golden colour. Add curry leaves , red chilly powder , tomato, and ginger - garlic paste. Saute well for 5 minutes. Add kudampuli pieces and fish pieces. Add salt to taste and half cup water. Cover with the lid and cook for 15 -20 minutes or till done. Switch off the gas flame. Add 1 cup thick coconut milk and strir well. Serve with Kappa.

Visit here for Kappa Puzhukku