Kappayum Meenum Mulaku Pottichathum

Kappa Puzhukku / Mashed tapioca 
Tapioca - 500 gms / 2 tubers 
Grated coconut -1 cup
Green chillies- 4-5 
Curry leaves - 1 sprig
Garlic - 1/2 cloves 
Shallots - 3 
Cumin- 1/2 tsp 
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt - as required
Coconut Oil
Method
1. Peel and clean tapioca tubers , Make them into medium sized cubes 
2. Boil water in a pot and add tapioca. After 5-8 minutes when the water becomes starchy, drain the water and add fresh water .(Repeat this if your tapioca is very starchy) . 
3. Add turmeric powder and salt to this and cook the tapioca till it is ready to mash . Drain if there is excess water
4. Meanwhile crush the grated coconut, green chillies , shallots,few curry leaves , cumin and garlic together 
5. Add the coconut mixture to the cooked tapioca and mix well .
6. Finally add 1 tbsp coconut oil and mix 

Serve with mulaku pottichathu or the famous Kerala fish curry  !!!
Kerala fish curry
Ingredients
Fish -1kg washed cut and cleaned 
Kashmiri Chilly Powder/Piriyan mulaku podi- 2 tbsp
Red chilly powder- 1/2 tbsp or 2 green chillies
Turmeric powder- 1/2 tsp
Coriander Powder- 1tbsp
Cumin Powder- a pinch
Shallots- 1/2 cup chopped
Ginger-1 tbsp,crushed
Garlic- 1tbsp crushed
Fenugreek -1/2 tsp
Kudampuli/Kokum/Garcinia- 3-4 numbers, washed and soaked in water
Mustard
Cooking Oil (coconut oil preferred)
Curry leaves

Directions

1. Make a paste with all the powders in a blender using enough water

2. Heat oil in a chatti/vessel and splutter mustard seeds, Add fenugreek ,when they turn brown add chopped shallots,ginger garlic,and green chillies(if using).Saute until the shallots turn brown

3. Reduce the heat and add the paste and stir until oil separates.

4. Add 2 cups water(more if required)soaked kudampuli and salt and allow it to boil.When boiling ,slide the fish pieces into the chatti /vessel.Throw in some curry leaves.

5.Close with a lid and allow it to cook (around 15-20 minutes)with occasional swirling of the chatti

6. When the fish is cooked,remove the lid and keep until gravy thickens or until the desired thickness is obatined.

7. Switch off the stove.Crush some curry leaves with hands and pour 1-2 tbsp of coconut oil along with the crushed curry leaves.Close and allow to cool.Check salt and adjust.

Note : Keeping the curry for atleast 6-8 hours undisturbed before serving will increase the taste.

Mulaku pottichathu /Onion -red chilly chutney
Shallots -10 ,chopped
Red chillies - 6-8
Curry leaves 
Tamarind - a pinch 
Oil - 1-2 tbsp
Method
1. Heat oil in a pan, Saute red chillies and remove it from oil 
2. Now to the same oil add the shallots and curry leaves 
Saute till it is soft and brown in color.Remove from oil
3. When it is cool, grind /pulse in a mixer along with salt and tamarind
4. Add oil (coconut oil adds taste) to the  mix and serve with Kappa 

This is good for Idli and Dosa also

Olan / Ashgourd stew

Ingredients
Ash gourd chopped - 1 cup
Chembu(Taro/Arvi/Colocasia ) or Potato diced -1/2 cup(optional)
Red chori/Vanpayar - 1/2 cup cooked
Green chillies - 2 or 3 split lengthwise
Thin coconut milk - 1 cup
Thick coconut milk- 1/2 cup
Curry leaves - 1 sprig
Salt
Coconut Oil - 1tbsp


Method
1. Remove the rind and seeds from ash gourd ,clean and cut it into small square pieces 
2. Peel and clean the taro/potato and cut it into small square pieces
3. Cook these two along with green chillies ,cooked payar and salt in water . 
4. When water evaporates add thin coconut milk and simmer for 5 minutes.
5. Add thick coconut milk and switch off the stove .
6. Add 1 tbsp pf coconut oil along with hand crushed curry leaves
Serve with rice 

Vazhachundu Thoran /Banana flower stir fry

Ingredients 
Banana Flower /Vazhachundu - 1
Cooked red chori/moong dal /toor dal - 1/2 cup
Grated coconut - 1/2 cup
Green chillies - 2 or 3
Cumin - 1/2 tsp
Garlic /Shallots -1 or 2 (optional)
Curry leaves - 1 sprig
Red chillies -2 or 3
Mustard- 1/2 tsp
Cooking oil (coconut oil prefered)
Salt - as required 
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Method
To remove the stain -:
1. Mix water with salt, turmeric powder and half tsp oil in a bowl .
2. Clean and remove the 3 /4 outer layers of vazhachundu .Chop it finely .or You can use a food processor. Put the chopped flower in the above water for about 15 minutes .
3. After 15 minutes , take them out and squeeze the water out. 


To cook -:
1. Crush grated coconut ,green chillies, cumin and garlic /shallots together 
2. Heat oil in a pan and splutter mustard seeds .Then add curry leaves and split red chillies 
3.Add the chopped vazhachundu and salt along with half cup of water .
4. When it is half done , add the crushed coconut mix and cooked  red chori/moong dal /toor dal. 
5.Close with a lid and cook till the water gets completely dried.
Serve hot with rice