Kappa Biriyani

 

 

A traditional Kottayam style way of preparing kappa (tapioca) with meat and bones. Made a slight change in the recipe by adding chicken instead of beef.

Ingredients

• 1Kg Tapioca cut in small pieces
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Handfull of curry leaves

For Chicken gravy

• A small chicken (750 gms) cut into pieces
• 2 medium sized onion sliced
• 2 medium sized tomatoes chopped
• 1 tablespoon ginger chopped
• 1 tablespoon garlic chopped
• 2 to 3 green chillies
• 1 cup coconut grated
• 1 tablespoon garam masala powder
• 1 teaspoon red chilly powder
• 11/2 teaspoon coriander powder
  
  

For tempering

• 2 tablespoon coconut oil
• 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 4 dry chilles
• 3 shallots or small onions finely sliced
• 1/4 cup coconut grated
• 1/4 teaspoon each..red chilli powder and garam masala powder

Roast 1cup coconut with 1 tablespoon coconut oil in medium flame. Once it turns brown in colour, add red chilli powder, coriander powder and garam masala. Roast till you get a nice aroma of spices. Let this cool. Grind this to a fine paste adding little water. In a pan add 4 tablespoon coconut oil. Saute onion, ginger, garlic green chillies and tomatoes till it is soft. To this add the coconut paste and let it simmer for 2 to 3 minutes. Now add cleaned chicken pieces along with 1/2 cup water. Cook till the chicken pieces are soft and the gravy becomes thick. Boil tapioca with turmeric, salt and curry leaves. Strain the excess water once it is done. Add the chicken gravy to this cooked tapioca and mix well . Final step is tempering which gives this dish a special flavour. For this add mustard seeds to hot oil. Once it starts spluttering dry chilies, small onions and coconut can be added. Fry this until the coconut is brown and crispy. Turnoff the flame and quickly add redchilli powder and garam masala powder along with curry leaves. Pour this over the tapioca. Garnish with sliced onions.