Monday, January 4, 2010

Kappa puzhukku/Mashed tapioca aka Cassava

I know I don't have to explain to a Mallu what kappapuzhukku (cooked tapioca) is. I guess most of us from Kerala love this simple and delicious dish and to me and my family, it's a favorite. One of the best vivid memories from my childhood is a plate of this with mulakuchammanthi(chilli chutney) and a black coffee with sugar.  Have you ever tried this combo, believe me it's divine :-) The puzhukku and the spicy hot chutney along with the sweet boiling hot coffee...aha..Can't explain it ! Kappapuzhukku and meencurry (Fish curry) is one of the famous combinations in Kerala Cuisine.

It was a friend who shared the history of how Tapioca was introduced in Travancore (South Kerala).  The king of Travancore; Vysakham Thirunal Maharaja, who was also a botanist, introduced this quintessential laborer's food in the 1860s.  Later, in the beginning of 19th century, when people from central Travancore started to migrate to the Malabar region they took tapioca with them introducing it to the locals.  The cultivar was not very popular until the break of world war.  Now, tapioca has a special place in the hearts of most Keralites.  Maybe its due to social conscienseness and in an effort to break stereotyping but whatever the case I am into it solely because of it tastes.

kappa

There are so many names in Malayalam itself for Tapioca, kolli,kappa, cheenikkizhangu, maracheeni etc to name a few.  I made some fish fry to go with this the recipe of which I will post soon.

Ingredients:

Tapioca/Cassava/Yuca- 2lbs
Coconut grated-2/3 cup
Green chillies- 3-4
Shallots-3-4
Turmeric powder- 1/2 tsp
Salt

Method:

1.Peel off the skin from Tapioca and clean and cut it coarsely to get medium sized pieces.
2.Boil water enough to cover the tapioca in a deep pan.Cook with salt and a pinch of turmeric until it is done. The time varies from 5 minutes to 20 minutes once it starts boiling.So keep checking.
3.Meanwhile grind the coconut, chillies,turmeric and shallots coarsely.
4.Drain all the water once tapioca is cooked.
5.Throw in the ground ingredients and salt and mix well.Mash the tapioca pieces well while mixing.
6.Heat on medium with lid for 3-4 minutes or until steam starts coming.
7.Switch off the heat and serve hot with Fish curry, fish fry or mulaku chutney (Grind green chillies with salt, add oil or yogurt and mix well )

kappa

Contributor :Namitha

44 comments:

  1. One more reason I wish I was living next door to you.

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  2. This sounds so good...have never tried Tapioca...looking forward to the 'Fish fry' recipe. Wish you a happy new year!

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  3. This looks fabulous! Very nice photography!

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  4. Looks absolutely delicious...beautiful photos!

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  5. Namitha thanks for enlightening me about tapioca's history in Kerala. Recipe and photos are great, too.

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  6. Have tasted tapioca in the form of chips only...this one sounds healthy!

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  7. Looks fabulous!! Nice click..

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  8. Dear Nameetha
    Believe me, I used to eat this often in the next door restaurant in Kuwait. In Kuwait 80 % food joints are run by Keralite people.. I used to take a real hot fish fry with this.
    Now I know how to make it and have to ask my Mallu friend in Delhi to get the tapioca. Sabu dana is also Tapioca isnt it ??
    Have a nice week

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  9. this looks great a good change from mashed potato and rice

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  10. This is a dish that fills ones stomach as well as heart if you have spent your childhood in Kerala!!!

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  11. looks delicious. Belated wishes for a happy new year 2010 to you and your family :)

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  12. I've never eaten Tapioca but this recipe looks great!

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  13. This is a lovely recipe I use cassava a lot in my cooking.I will surely try this variation.

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  14. Adipoli namitha....sherikkum kothiyavunu.

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  15. yep, no xplaination needed..I will have it 3 times a day ..looks yum

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  16. Entamma!!!!
    Enne ingane kothipichu kollalle..
    Adipoli...kurchu enkil onnu parcel cheythal athilum adipoli akum :).ooops opam meen kudi venee...

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  17. lovely clicks dear.........yummy tapioca..........

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  18. Oh wow!Never heard of this but it looks excellent!

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  19. Oh wow!!! Adipoli..One of my fav's!!
    Kothi sahikkan pattunnilla...

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  20. I imagine with meencurry- ur explaination with sugar coffee makes me very curious how good it should be :)

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  21. loved the background info on the dish...
    looks wonderful...

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  22. Lovely clicks and wonderful dish :)

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  23. Cassava is one of my fond-of roots.
    Lovel dish with slurpy fish fry.

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  24. Oh another ingredient that is not that easily available here, it looks very delicious!

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  25. Hi. I remember during my childood my keralite neighbour growing tapioca at home. They used to have this preparation regularly.

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  26. i agree with Nostalgia...even i wish to become your neighbor...kappa puzhukku is my all time favorite..i was going to post a dish with kappa, "kappayum meenum"..so same pinch..

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  27. This sounds new to me .I have never tasted this though I have had tapioca chips.

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  28. Entammooooo endina ingane kothipikunnathu...Kappa puzhukku kandittu kothivanittu vayya..prathyakichum ippo....

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  29. Fantastic traditional dish, looks yumm!

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  30. looks superb!!!...yummy!!!...very nice clicks, dear!

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  31. oh my favourite kappa..I can eat kappa without any side dish,but fish curry and chicken curry is my fav combi :)cold karanam taste oke poyirikukayanu but ee kappa kanditu sahikunilla :)

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  32. I have never try this dish before, wish I can try to cook one day.

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  33. Same pinch...I made kappa bonda today:) Yours looks perfect...love that mashed version too:)

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  34. That looks very gorgeous and very comfort food.

    A very new recipe.lovely.

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  35. that looks delicious! A very good history of Tapioca.. this use of Tapioca is very new to me.. looks great though!

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  36. looks very delicious...I am yet to try the cassava root in forms other than chips..this is a good one to start..

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  37. Thanks everyone..:-)
    Ushnish da : What I used here is Tapioca root, the tuber. Sabudana is the commercial /processed form Hope this link helps http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tapioca
    All others who haven't tried thgis yet : I hope you all will like this :-)

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  38. hey very tempting dish...i dnt knw much dishes made from tapioca...i like its chips.If i get a tapioca vl surely try this one.

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