Kappa Vevichathu & Thrissur Style Thengaracha Meen Curry | Cooked Tapioca(Yuca Root) & Coconut Fish Curry in Tamarind Sauce

Kappa Vevichathu/ Cooked Tapioca & fish curry is a popular dish from Kerala, many of you might have tasted the authentic recipe too.Now, it's a rare entity in homes and many of the toddy shops & restaurants do share this combo proudly.I always loved it with Kottayam style red hot chilly fish curry, but my family prefers this fish curry, and so I prepared this. This is my MILs style of making fish curry and I have followed the same.Both tastes good and tapioca when mixed with coconut mixture is a real delish with tempering...yummy !!I couldn't get the duo pics together as I was short of time & kids were eagerly waiting to grab, my apologies:-).

Watch the kappa vevichathu  #YouTube shorts.

Preparation time ~ 15 minutes

Cooking time ~ 20 minutes

Serves ~ 3-4

Author ~ Julie

Ingredients

FOR MAKING KAPPA 
yuca root/tapioca/ kappa 2 medium-sized;500g
turmeric powder 1/2 tsp
salt
for grinding
coconut 4-5tbsp
turmeric powder 1/3tsp
green chillies 3-4
cumin seeds 1/2 tsp
garlic 3 cloves sliced
ginger 1'' piece shredded
shallots 4-5
salt
for tempering
red dry chillies 2-3
mustard seeds 1tsp
curry leaves few
oil 1 tbsp

(updated pic with mackerel fish)

For Fish Curry-
to marinate
ayala (mackerel) 4 (You can use any fleshy fish of your choice)
chilly powder 1/2tsp
turmeric powder 1/2tsp
salt

to grind
coconut shredded/grated 1/3 cup
turmeric powder 1/2 tsp
chilly powder 1tsp
green chillies 3-4 vertical slit
ginger 1'' piece shredded
shallots 3-4 crushed
tamarind 1 lemon size (soaked in water and pulp taken)
water 1 cup

for tempering
curry leaves few
shallots 3-4 sliced
oil 2 tbsp (use more if frying fish fillets)
salt

Method -
FOR COOKING TAPIOCA-
-Peel the skin of yuca root both the brown and purplish pink color and you find the white inside flesh.Cut these again into small bite pieces.Wash it under running water .
-Grind the ingredients under grinding to a coarse mixture.(Pulse 3 times,till green chillies,garlic is crushed)

-Place it in a wide bottomed pan and boil it with enough water.At the first boil, drain the water and reboil the yuca root using fresh water, adding salt and turmeric powder.Cook until it becomes translucent and soft.(It took 15 minutes for me, but depends on the variety of yuca too, so watch)
-Drain the cooked tapioca in a colander and keep aside.
-Heat oil in a pan and splutter mustard seeds, fry curry leaves, and red dry chillies. Add the crushed coconut mix, warm it up.
-Add a little water to the blender jar and add along with the cooked tapioca and mash it with a wooden spoon completely. Simmer another minute and remove from flame.
-Serve hot with fish curry (recipe follows) /chicken curry  / beef curry/meen vatticha curry(I love this combo the most) !!

FOR FISH CURRY-

• Wash the fish fillets and cut into medium size pieces.(I usually rub it with salt and add lemon juice to it.Keep it aside for 15 minutes to remove any bad odour and then wash under running water )
• Grind the ingredients listed under grinding to a smooth paste.Soak the tamarind for 15–20 minutes and squeeze the juice.
• -Heat oil in a pan and shallow fry the fish fillets just to caramelize slightly (omit this step if using fish with bones).Place on a paper towel.
• Add curry leaves, ginger, green chillies, shallots, fish pieces in a mann chatti or non-stick pan.Add the ground paste and let it boil for a minute. Add the water, salt and tamarind pulp.Bring to a boil, cook covered for 10–15 minutes till the gravy thickens and the fish gets cooked. In another pan, add oil and add curry leaves & shallots. Sauté until shallots turn pinkish brown.Pour over the curry. Serve with rice /cooked tapioca !!

I personally love the below combination the most with kappa vevichathu, click on the image for this spicy fish curry :)

Meen Vatticha Curry

Servings~2 adults

NOTES
* Drain the water completely otherwise it will go goey and watery.
*Don't grind the mixture to fine,just coarsely grind.
*You can omit the shallow frying of fish,Its done to avoid breaking of pieces esp when using fillets.

Hope you all liked it and happy weekend !!

Sending this to The Kerala Kitchen  , Walking through the Memory Lane

Sending this to Street Food Of India event hosted by Rosh @ Chef Al Dente