Kappa vevichathu and meen curry (Cooked tapioca with fish curry)

The very special favourite of almost all keralites. Eventhough amma makes it rare at home now, I make it here almost all weekends. These kind of food keeps us close to the native land.  So enjoyed another weekend with this lunch and a beauty sleep. Have a great week ahead!

You need

1. Tapioca/Kappa - 1/2 kg
2. Grated coconut - 1/2 cup
3. Green chilli - 3 
4. Garlic - 3 cloves 
5. Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
6. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
7. Salt to taste

Method

• Peel the brown and pink skin of tapioca
• Cut into small pieces. Remove the fibre in the middle
• In a deep vessel cook the tapioca with lots of water and salt. 
• Once cooked well, drain all the water.
• Mash the tapioca.(I didn't mash as we like it as pieces)
• Grind together all ingredients from 2-7 and mix to the above. 
• Cook covered on slow flame 5-7 minutes. 
• Temper with below

For tempering

• Oil - 2 tsp
• Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
• Shallots sliced - 3 nos.
• Dry red chilli - 2 nos.

Method

• Heat oil
• Once hot add mustard seeds and let it splutter
• Add sliced shallots and let it turn light brown.
• Add dry red chilli and mix and switch off the flame.
• Pour over the cooked tapioca. 

For fish curry

1. King fish/Any fish of your choice - 1/2 kg cut into small pieces
2. Coconut oil - 2 tsp
3. Mustard seed - 1/2 tsp
4. Fenugreek seeds - 1/4 tsp
5. Garlic - 2 cloves chopped
6. Ginger - 1 small piece chopped
7. Green chilli - 1 chopped
8. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
9. Kashmiri chilli powder - 2 tsp
10. Kudampuli (Gamboge) - 2 pieces
11. Water - 2 and 1/2 cups

Method

• Heat oil in a curry chatti (An earthern ware used in kerala. It gives the curry the special taste than the once made in a normal vessel)
• Add mustard seeds and let it splutter
• Add fenugreek and let it turn light brown.
• Add chopped ginger, garlic and green chilli.
• When the above ingredients turn light brown, add turmeric powder and chilli powder. 
• Add salt to taste at this stage and mix well.
• Add water and kudampuli (gamboge). Let it boil.
• Check for taste and adjust the salt and tangyness. (Add more kudampuli if required.)
• Add the fish pieces and lower the flame. Let it cook with the cover little open for 15-20 minutes. 
• Leave it open on slow flame for 5 minutes. You'll find a layer of oil on top. It depends on the fish you use for cooking and the oil added. 
• Serve with kappa or rice. We love it with dosa/idli/appam/ANYTHING!

Notes:

• I use kashmiri chilli powder to make fish curry. It makes the curry less spicy at the sametime thick and colourful.
• Kudampuli/Gamboge is the special ingredient for this curry and can be found in Indian stores. You won't get the same taste if you replace it with tamarind. 

• Fish curry gets it great taste when made in earthen ware, but you can try this in a normal nonstick pan as well