Kerala Delicacy - Kappa with Cilantro Fish curry.

Tapioca/Kappa and fish curry combination is a  very  popular staple dish  of Kerala and is regularly cooked   in my kitchen. Recently we are not getting good quality Tapioca, each time half the quantity is wasted due to stained and porous texture. This time I was lucky to get very fresh Tapioca from local Mexican store. I cooked kappa stir fry and fish curry. Instead of cooking fish curry in Kerala style, I cooked  Cilantro fish curry. I used less spices and packed this curry with lots of cilantro, use of coconut paste gave thick and creamy texture to the curry. This is delicious curry for cilantro lovers.

Ingredients :-

• Surmai (Spanish mackerel / Seer Fish/ ayakura) - 10-12  small pieces. (any other fish is fine)
• 1 medium onion - finely chopped.
• 5-6 fresh garlic cloves
• 1.5 inch - fresh ginger piece
• 4-5 green chilies
• 20-25 cilantro stalks/stems - 2 inch long
• 2 Cups tightly packed chopped fresh cilantro leaves + 1/2 cup extra - finely chopped  for final garnish.
• 1 Cup lightly packed fresh grated coconut or use 1/2 Cup coconut milk.
• 1/2 T.spoon - turmeric 
• 1 Tb.spoon oil

Spices

• 1 Tsp corriander seeds
• 1 Tsp cumin seeds
• 3 cloves
• 1.5 inch long - bay leaf

Grind above four spices to fine powder.

Method of Preparing Cilantro Surmai Curry.

1. Grind one cup fresh coconut with one cup chopped cilantro to fine paste by adding 1 cup water. Keep it aside. If you are using coconut milk, mix finely chopped one cup cilantro in the coconut milk.
2. Combine Garlic, ginger, green chilies, cilantro stalks, 1 cup packed fresh chopped cilantro.( ingredients marked in Green color) Finely crush/ coarse dry paste to prepare base for Cilantro Green Masala (Hara Masala/ Hirva Masala). You may add 1-2 tablespoon water while grinding if needed. Keep it aside.
3. Marinate  Surmai pieces with 1/2 teaspoon turmeric, 1 tablespoon above Cilantro Green Masala and very little salt.Keep it aside.
4. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a medium size saute pan.(not bigger than 8" diameter) Add finely chopped onions, saute over medium heat for 5-6 minutes. Add powdered spices - saute for one minute.
5. Now add crushed green masala paste, stir fry for one minute.
6. Place all marinated surmai pieces in the pan and gently mix-coat with onion, green masala base.Sprinkle little salt. Cover the lid and allow to cook over medium low heat for 4-5 minutes. Make sure there is little moisture in the pan, you may add 1-2 tablespoon water before closing the lid.
7. Pour in 3/4 of the coconut-cilantro paste. Mix well, Check salt level. Cover the lid and let it simmer for 7-8 minutes at medium low heat.
8. Remove the lid, gently turn around surmai pieces. Add remaining coconut-cilantro paste, remaining half cup  extra fine chopped cilantro. Simmer for 3-4 minutes. Shut off the heat and let curry sit for half an hour before serving it warm with Kappa/rice/roti.

Note : You can cook veggies, tofu, Paneer,Lentils and beans in the same Green cilantro Masala base. Check earlier blogged cilantro infused Buckwheat+moongbean+quinoa curry.

Cilantro infused Surmai fish curry

Kappa Stir fry Recipe :-

Earlier I have blogged recipe for Tapioca/Kappa curry. I have cooked this tapioca  stir fry based on  the same recipe,  only change I made is, cooked  more dry Kappa stir fry.

Recipe :- Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a thick gauge pot. Sizzle mustard seeds for 20 seconds. Add  10-12 curry leaves,   1 teaspoon turmeric powder and  3-4 chopped green chilies, saute for 40 seconds. Add  one cup heaped chopped onions; saute for 5-6 minutes over  medium heat. Add 4 cups chunks (1 inch chunks) of tapioca, sprinkle salt. mix well - saute on high heat for 3-4 minutes stirring often with wooden spoon. Now add 1.5 cup water, 2 tablespoon fresh grated coconut.(For genuine Kerala flavor add 1 teaspoon coconut oil at this stage.This is optional.) Once water starts to boil, lower the heat to medium - cook covered  for 10-12 minutes. Do stir occasionally to avoid burning tapioca at bottom. Remove lid and over  medium low heat cook until all water has evaporated. Finally add 6-7 roughly chopped curry leaves, half cup fresh grated coconut. Adjust salt level.  Mix well . Put the lid back, Shut off the heat, let it sit for ten minutes. Serve warm with fish curry or enjoy tapioca stir fry  in a bowl.

Kappa/Cassava stir fry

Kappa and Meen curry

Cauliflower subzi with Tapioca,Green beans,Lima beans,Green peas and Carrots.

Cauliflower is my favorite routinely cooked subzi. It is quick to cook and gives wonderful vibrant dish if cooked in combination with other veggies. Cauliflower+ Potatoes is very popular combination in Indian cooking.Today I replaced potatoes with Tapioca and it blended well with cauliflower, added lima beans,carrots and green peas to bring color and varied texture. I mildly flavored it with Garam masala and gave hot zest with ginger and green chilies. Result was delicious!!

Ingredients :-

• 2 Cups - Cauliflower florets -1 inch size
• 1/2 Cup - Green beans cut in 1 cm size
• 1 Cup Tapioca - cut in half inch size cubes
• 2 small size tomatoes - diced
• 1/2 Cup - frozen Lima beans
• 1/2 Cup - frozen green beans
• 1/2 Cup - carrots cut in disc shape
• 1 medium size onion - chopped finely
• 2 inch ginger - finely crushed.
• 4-5 green chilies - finely crushed
• 10-15 curry leaves
• 1/2 Cup fresh chopped cilantro
• 1 T.Spoon - Garam masala
• 1/2 T.spoon turmeric powder

Pre-Boiling Tapioca :-

Take 7-8 inch long tapioca. Chop out both ends. peel the skin with potato peeler. Cut into half inch size cubes. Rinse in water and boil in microwave with mildly salted water for 6-7 minutes. Most of the water will get absorbed , discard excess water.

Method of Cooking :-

1. Heat 1 tbspoon oil in heavy gauge pot. Add chopped onions and saute for 3-4 minutes on medium heat till they turn soft and translucent.
2. Add chopped tomatoes and saute for two minutes. Add finely crushed green chilies, ginger,7-8 curry leaves along with 1 tspoon Garam masala and turmeric powder. Mix all well and saute for one minute.
3. Add green beans and cauliflower florets. Add half cup water and let it simmer with covered lid for 5-6 minutes on medium heat.
   
4. Add lima beans and carrots. Mix all well .. if all water has dried up then add half cup water. Add salt and little cilantro. Cover the lid and let it cook for another 6-7 minutes.
5. Lastly add green peas and boiled tapioca , remaining curry leaves and cook for another 3-4 minutes on low heat. I didn't keep much gravy and left more like stir fry texture, you may adjust water to have your choice of consistency to gravy.
6. Garnish with remaining fresh cilantro and enjoy with rice and roti.
   

Kappa/Tapioca/Yuca curry

Tapioca curry/stir fry is one of the popular food from Kerala.It is enjoyed with spicy fish curry.One must try this delicious Kappa curry or stir fry.

Ingredients:-

1. Three medium size Tapioca 8-10 inch long duly cut into pieces.
2. 2 Tb.Spoon cooking oil.
3. 1 chopped small size onion.
4. 1 T.spoon mustard seeds.
5. 5-6 Slit green chillies.
6. 1 T.spoon turmeric powder.
7. 1 Cup fresh grated coconut.
8. 3 Stems of fresh curry leaves.
   

Cooking Method:-

1. Heat 2 Tb.spoon oil in big size heavy gauge Pot. As oil heats throw in 1 T.spoon mustard seeds...hear them splatter for 15-20 seconds then add chopped oinions.Stir it for five minutes on medium flame.
2. Add turmeric powder/one stem of curry leaf/and slit green chillies.Stir and Mix.
3. Add cut Tapioca and mix all well...stir it on high heat for 5 minutes. Now add two cups of water and salt. close lid and let it cook on medium flame for 10-12 minutes.
4. Open the lid and add remaining two stems of curry leaves and half cup grated fresh coconut..Stir it well.At this stage if you wish to have more gravy then add one more cup of water and cook it for another 3-4 minutes on low flame.Lastly garnish with remaining fresh coconut.
   
   Enjoy this with fish curry.
   

NOTE:- Tapioca is very hard to clean and cut.Use potato peeler and peel till you see clean white part..use heavy knife to make pieces.If you find non white stained portion then just chop it out.You will find one hard string in middle..remove it as you make pieces.