Kappa Stew (Step By Step Pics) | Tapioca Curry

Tapioca aka Kappa was a staple food of Kerala and dates back to British era when tapioca was a substitute to rice. Nowadays, restaurants have come up with serving tapioca in the old fashioned style and back home its a rare vanishing entity. Diabetes has taken its toll on Keralites and the major culprit to blame first is tapioca(kappa). The local people of Kerala still use tapioca and enjoy with meen curry. Anyways not boring you guys with the known facts and figures.
Coming back to today's recipe-This is not a popular item with kappa that Iam posting. Tapioca stew is introduced recently In Kerala menu by some restaurants and has gained popularity. I was introduced to this dish by my good chechi at home. She first made this stew and I was like 'wow'! The very thought that came to me was something new to try on and blog of course,he he. Whenever I make kappa puzhukku and have few left overs, what do you do? I know what's going on your mind. I don't like wasting food by any chance, and so recreated the boiled tapioca in another delicious form. This tastes similar to the potato stew or any vegetable stew for that matter and pairswell with idiyappams and appms.I have made this a few times now and everyone loved the fiber packed stew. For a morning breakfast,kappa definitely is good to eat unlike dinner time. Try and enjoy making this at home for a change from the regular stew.

Preparation time~ 20 mins
Cooking time ~ 30 mins
Serves ~ 4-5 adults
Ingredients
tapioca / kappa cooked 2 cups
onion 1 medium sliced
ginger garlic crushed 1 tbsp
green chillies 2-3 vertical sliced
green peas 1/2 cup
whole garam masala - cloves 2-3,cinnamon 1' piece,whole pepper corn 1 tsp,bay leaf 1
garam masala 1/2 tsp
pepper powder 1/2 tsp
coconut milk (thin) 1.5 cups
coconut milk (thick) 1/2 cup
coconut oil 2 tbsp
curry leaves a sprig

Method

• Peel the hard flesh of tapioca(brown and the pink) with a knife. Cut the tapioca(kappa) in bite size pieces and wash under running water twice or thrice to remove soil or impurities.

• Boil the tapioca in enough water. After the first boil,drain out the water and add enough water,boil again.Add salt as needed and cook the tapioca till tender. Drain the water completely and keep aside.

• Heat oil in a thick bottomed pan and add the whole garam masala. Add in the crushed ginger garlic and saute till the raw smell disappears. Add in the sliced onions, green chillies and curry leaves, saute until golden brown.

• Add in the green peas and cooked tapioca.Add in the spice powders listed on low flame. Pour in the thin coconut milk and let the mixture come to a boil. Let the mixture thicken,simmer for 5-7 mins. Mash a few to thicken the stew slightly and leave few others just like that.

• Lower the flame and add in the thick coconut milk. When one or two boil appears at the sides of the pan, switch off flame.

• Serve warm with idiyappam/ vellayappm/ kallappam. Enjoy !

NOTES
* I have used frozen green peas. You can use dry green peas too, in that case soak a day before and cook separately in the cooker and then add.
* You can omit adding green peas too or add more vegetables like carrot or beans.


Check out more tapioca recipes-
* Kappa Vevichatha (Cooked Tapioca)
* Kappa Puzhukku (Puzhungiyathu)
* Kappa Chips (Tapioca Fries)
* Upperi Kappa Varuthathu (Kappa Podi)