Kappa Vevichathu / Kappa Puzhukku Recipe / Kappa Kuzhachathu
Today I am sharing with you Kappa Vevichathu / boiled and mashed Yucca root seasoned with ground coconut and spice mixture and is usually served with hot Red Meen Curry, a match made in heaven, isn’t it?
I remember when I was hospitalized in 8th grade with 105 degree fever; my grand mom came to visit me and whispered in my years, “Shall I bring Kappa vevichathu and meen curry?” She is not alive now, but those words of love and pamper, by saying that quote she had added the extra touch, “I love you very much”.. Without thinking twice I immediately replied, “Yes, I want it’.. and she consoled me by saying that, “I will make it for you once you come back home healthy”.. She kept that commitment, but one change she made was, instead of Meen curry, it was chicken curry with kappa vevichathu.. I got a rough look from my dad who got scared me eating kappa and chicken curry even before I was completely recovered from fever.. She used to make one other wonderful dish by boiling kappa (tapioca), chena (yam), chembu (colocosia) all boiled together and used to have it with Mulaku chammanthi (chilly chutney).. Those are my childhood sweet memories which came across my mind and remain on the surface when I started writing this. I could say that she is the best grand mom anybody can have, whose love is everlasting..
One thing that my generation and the current generation agree unanimously is the exclusive taste of this semi mashed Tapioca.. In most of the hostels and boarding schools there in Kerala, there is a particular day in every week for this Kappa vevichathu, and all students look forward for that day to get this tasty and yummy dish.. This dish makes me nostalgic.
Most of the restaurants and tea shops in Kerala serve this Kappa and meen curry. It is a common dish even in five star hotels of Kerala. It’s a special dish in all the toddy shops of Kerala. Many tourists visit Toddy shops to buy this wonderful combo of Kappa Vevichathu and Meen Curry.. Some other spicy and yummy toddy shop delicacies are; my favourite Kakka Irachi Ularthiyathu (Mussels Fry), Tharavu Roast (Duck Roast) Crab Curry, Karimeen Pollichathu(Fried Pearl Spots)etc.,
Some of you must be wondering what ‘Toddy’ is? Toddy is Kallu, a very much sought after intoxicating beverage of Keralites and is available in toddy shops which are thatched huts and with sign boards outside, generally a men’s world. One can expect the spiciest and the tastiest food there. Toddy is a sap which is natural and intoxicating and is collected from incising the flower clusters of a coconut tree and then fermented to produce the liquor. As Scotch Whiskey is to Scotland, Toddy is an intoxicating drink of Kerala. It is a very good fermenting agent too and Keralites use it to ferment the dough of Kallappam, a pancake made of rice flour. Hope now it is almost clear to you.. 😉
I love to have boiled and cooked tapioca just with some grated coconut.. Cassava chips are available in markets and we buy and use it as munchies..
Kappa or Tapioca is the staple food of the farmer community of Kerala and a traditional dish of Kerala.. Tapioca is a starchy substance extracted from cassava root plant; high in starch content and a rich source of Carbohydrates. This is Latin American origin; native to Brazil, but spread throughout South American Continent. It is now cultivated world-wide, especially in Africa and is well grown in Southern part of India. It can be prepared without coconut too, and can have it with some chilly chutney.
Servings – depends on how much one consumes
Kappa Kuzhachathu:
Servings – depends on how much one consumes.
Author: Seena
Ingredients for Making Kappa Puzhukku:
To cook Tapioca:
Tapioca, washed, peeled and chopped in to small pieces – 1 kg
Salt – to taste
Water – to cover tapioca
To Grind:
Coconut – ½ to ¾th of one coconut
Turmeric powder – ¼ tsp.
Cumin Seeds – 1 tsp.
Green Chilly, finely chopped – 4
Shallots / small onions – 4
Garlic pods – 2
Black Pepper corns (optional) – ¼ tsp.
To Temper:
Coconut Oil – 2 tbsp.
Mustard seeds – 1 tsp.
Shallots / small onion, sliced – 2
Curry Leaves – 3 sprigs
Whole Red Chilly – 1
How to Make Kappa Puzhukku:
Peel the thick brown skin of Tapioca and cut in to small medium sized cubes. Wash it well in plenty of water until water runs clear.
Fill a large vessel with enough water to cover tapioca and bring to boil. Once it comes to boil, drain the water and again fill the vessel with enough water, salt to taste and ½ tsp. of Turmeric powder. Cover and cook tapioca until it is tender.Drain the water and keep it aside.
Meanwhile, grind the ingredients listed under ‘to grind’ to a coarse paste in a blender and pulse it one or two times. Add this coconut mixture to the cooked and drained tapioca and combine it thoroughly. Turn on the stove. Cover and cook on low to medium flame until water evaporates well.
Once the water is evaporated well, smash kappa with a wooden spatula until you get a semi – smashed tapioca. Cook this mixture for another 2 more minutes or till the smell of raw garlic and turmeric leaves.
Next heat a pan and add coconut oil and fry the ingredients for tempering until the onions are lightly brown. Pour this over the semi smashed kappa mixture and combine it well. Serve it with nadan fish curry.
My Recipe Notes on Kappa Vevichathu:
1. Select the fresh and good quality Tapioca.
2. Do a taste test of salt and add if required while mixing tapioca and coconut mixture.
3. Always use fresh Tapioca to get the real taste of this dish.
4. Drain the boiled water completely, otherwise it will go mushy..
5. Our grandmas used to boil and drain water twice in order to remove it’s strains. Here I too have done like this.
6. It goes well with Beef or chicken curry.
Happy Cooking..
Cheers..
Seena.
N.B:
Please Subscribe to our Our Youtube Channel, ‘Seenas Food Basket’.
To get all the latest updates, connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram. It will keep us motivated.
You have an option to add your Comment on our website. Just go to the recipe page and scroll down. You can see the space provided there to comment. Pls. add your feedback there both, positive and negative.
Hope you liked our Recipes with its step by step explanation and the ‘TIPS’ and ‘RECIPE NOTES’. Pls. support us by SHARING it and clicking on the ‘LIKE’ button of our Facebook Page, so that you will get our latest recipes on your news feed without missing them.
Try out this and let us know what you think.. We love to see your creations. So, when you try out this recipe, take a picture and email it to seenasfoodbasket@gmail.com.
കേരള കപ്പ വേവിച്ചത് റെസിപ്പി
Kerala Kappa Vevichathu.
Description
Learn how to make mashed tapioca which is usually served with Fish curry or any non-veg side dishes. It is traditional seasoned mashed tapioca.