Kerala Kappa Puzhukku Recipe with Seabass Fish Curry & Kokum
FineDiningIndian
November 20, 2013
This traditional kappa puzhukku recipe transforms tapioca, also known as cassava or yuca, into a soft, lightly mashed Kerala-style preparation flavoured with coconut oil, mustard seeds, dried red chilli, curry leaves and freshly crushed aromatics.
The tapioca is first boiled with turmeric and salt until tender but still holding some texture. It is then combined with a fragrant coconut-oil tempering and gently mashed so that some pieces remain visible.
Traditionally, kappa is an excellent accompaniment to spicy Kerala fish curry. In this Fine Dining Indian presentation, the tapioca is shaped into quenelles and served with seabass fish curry flavoured with kokum, creating a contemporary interpretation of a classic Kerala combination.
No Reviews
Ingredients
Adjust Servings
| 1kg Tapioca / cassava / yuca, peeled | |
| ¼ tsp Turmeric powder | |
| to taste Salt | |
| EEnough to cover the tapioca while boiling Water | |
| 2 tbsp Coconut oil | |
| ½ tsp Mustard seeds | |
| 2broken Dried red chillies | |
| 2 sprigs Curry leaves | |
| 2, Green chillies roughly chopped | |
| 4 cloves Garlic | |
| ½ tsp Cumin seeds | |
| optional Fresh grated coconut |
For Serving / Fine-Dining Plating
| 600 g Prepared seabass fish curry | |
| 4 portions Cooked seabass | |
| 4 pieces Kokum from the fish curry | |
| 1 Thinly sliced green chilli | |
| A few small leaves Curry leaves | |
| 2 tbsp Fresh or desiccated coconut |
Nutritional Information
380 Kcal
Calorie
4g
Protein
65g
Carbohydrate
8g
Fat
5g
Fiber
Directions
1.
Prepare the Tapioca
Peel the tapioca thoroughly and cut it into approximately 1.5–2 cm cubes.
Smaller pieces cook faster and more evenly.
Place the chopped tapioca in a large saucepan.
Add ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder and a little salt.
Pour in enough cold water to completely cover the tapioca.
Cover the pan and bring it to a boil.
Cook for approximately 15–20 minutes, then check the texture.
A properly cooked piece should still feel slightly firm but should mash easily when pressed.
If it remains hard in the centre, simmer for another 5–10 minutes.
Mark as complete
2.
Drain
Once the tapioca is tender and beginning to break slightly around the edges, drain it thoroughly.
The turmeric will give the cassava a bright yellow colour.
Set it aside while preparing the tempering.
Place the green chilli, garlic, cumin seeds and part of the curry leaves in a bowl.
Crush them gently using a pestle or rolling pin.
The mixture should remain slightly coarse rather than becoming a smooth paste.
Mark as complete
3.
Prepare the Coconut Oil Tempering
Heat coconut oil in a large pan.
Add the broken dried red chillies, remaining curry leaves and mustard seeds.
Allow the mustard seeds to crackle briefly.
Do not heavily brown the curry leaves.
Add the crushed green chilli, garlic, cumin and curry-leaf mixture.
Cook briefly, just long enough to remove the raw flavour while retaining the freshness of the aromatics.
Mark as complete
4.
Add the Cooked Tapioca
Add the drained tapioca to the pan.
Gently combine it with the tempering.
Using a wooden spoon, lightly crush and mix the tapioca.
The correct texture for this kappa puzhukku recipe is semi-mashed: creamy in places while still containing visible pieces of cassava.
Mark as complete
5.
If desired, mix in freshly grated coconut.
Taste and adjust the salt.
The finished kappa should have the aroma of coconut oil, curry leaves, chilli, garlic and cumin without being overly mashed.
Serve the hot Kerala tapioca recipe with Kerala-style fish curry.
The combination of mildly seasoned cassava and spicy fish curry is a traditional Kerala pairing.
Finish with very thin slices of green chilli, small curry leaves and a light sprinkle of fresh or desiccated coconut.
Serve immediately.
Mark as complete
Leave a Reply