KAPPA PUZHUKKU&CHAMMANTHI

This is one of my favourites. I dont mind having this for breakfast lunch and dinner. Unfortunately my husband and daughter dont consider this as a main dish. For them kappa puzhukku is another side dish like thoran and mezhukku puratti. 

When I came to Kuwait in 1998 it was very difficult to get fresh tapioca. Tapioca doesnt stay fresh for more than a day and those available in the Indian stores were either brown or black having taken 3 -4 days to reach Kuwait from India. 

The problem was solved with the arrival of frozen tapioca and I always have at least 1 packet of "Nilamel's Frozen Tapioca"in my fridge.

INGREDIENTS

1. Kappa (tapioca/maracheeni/ poolakkizhangu/kollikkizhangu) - 1 Kg

2. Grated coconut - 1 cup
3. Turmeric powder - 1/2 tea spoon
4. Cumin seeds - 1 pinch
5. Green chillis - 2
6. Small onions - 2
7. Curry leaves - 2 sprigs
8. Mustard seeds - 1/2 tea spoon
9. Coconut oil - 1 table spoon
10. Salt


PREPARATION

1. Cut the tapioca into small pieces

2. Boil water in a big pan  (water should be upto 3/4 of the pan). Add tapioca pieces and close with a lid.

3. When the tapioca is 90% cooked, drain the water.

4. Dissolve 1/4 tea spoon turmeric powder in 1/4 cup of ware and pour into the tapioca Mix and cook for 1-2 minutes,

5. Grind coconut, 1/4 tea spoon turmeric powder, cumin seeds and chillis in a mixie for 10-15 seconds. add this to the tapioca. Cover and cook on low flame for 3-4 minutes. Mix with a spoon.

6. Heat oil in a pan. Splutter mustard seeds. Fry thinly sliced onion and curry leaves . Pour into the tapioca and mix well.

FOR CHAMMANTHI

INGREDIENTS

1. Red chillis - 5 or 6

2. Small onions - 10-12

3. Salt

4. Tamarind - 1 tea spoon

5. Coconut oil - 1 table spoon

6. Curd - 2 table spoon

METHOD

1. Fry or dry roast the red chillis

2. Crush onion and chillis in a mortar. Add salt and mix. Keep half of this aside

3. Add tamaring and grind into the onion- chilli mix. add coconut oil. One chammanthi is ready

4. To the other portion add curd and mix.