Kappa Vevichathu
It initially served as a cost-effective, starchy alternative to rice, catering to those unable to afford it. However, with time, it underwent a remarkable transformation from a humble staple to an exotic dish. There used to be a prominent hotel in Cochin featuring a party hall with a thatched roof beside the main building, although its current status is uncertain. During my school and college days, I recall coming across advertisements for this hotel's "Thattukada (street food) food festival" in newspapers. In retrospect, it's ironic to think that people were willing to pay extravagant prices to enjoy what was once considered humble street food in a rustic thatched-roof setting!
Ingredients
- 1 kg Kappa (tapioca) (measured after cleaning)
- 1 cup Grated Coconut
- 2 Small onion / Pearl onion (sliced)
- 2-3 Green chilli (chopped)
- 1/2 – 1 tsp Chopped garlic
- A pinch Jeera (cumin)
- 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
- Curry leaves
- Salt
- Oil (I used coconut oil)
For tempering
- 3 Small onion (sliced)
- 1/4 tsp Mustard
- Curry leaves
- 1.5 tbsp Coconut
Instructions
- Add water and salt to cleaned tapioca. The water level should be 2-3 inches higher than tapioca. Bring it to a boil and reduce the flame to the lowest. Cook till the tapioca is done. Drain the excess water. Mash the tapioca well.
- Combine coconut, small onion, green chilli, garlic, jeera, curry leaves and turmeric powder using your fingertips (njeraduka).
- Make a well in the center of the mashed tapioca and add coconut mixture. Cover it with tapioca. Cover and cook it for 5 – 7 mins on low flame. Mix it well. You can drizzle some coconut oil at this stage, if you like.
- Heat oil in a pan and crackle the mustard. Add sliced onion and curry leaves. When onions turn light golden, add coconut and fry it, till it becomes golden brown. Add this to the cooked tapioca and mix well.
Notes
You can adjust the qty of coconut to suit your taste and health requirements. You can store this in fridge for 2 days. It’s better to re heat it on stove top than microwave.
Nutrition
Calories: 287kcalCarbohydrates: 56gProtein: 3gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 5gSodium: 467mgPotassium: 431mgFiber: 4gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 249IUVitamin C: 99mgCalcium: 36mgIron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!