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Kerala Kappa Masala, Tapioca Masala Recipe

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Kerala kappa masala, kerala tapioca masala recipe

Kerala Kappa Masala: learn how to make this Kerala-Style Tapioca Masala or Kappa Masala which is different from the usual Kappa or tapioca recipes that are prepared in Kerala homes.

I am fortunate enough to live in a place where fresh tapioca (kappa in Malayalam, maravalli kizhangu in Tamil) is always available. While in most Kerala homes Kappa Puzhukku is the common dish made with tapioca, this Kappa Masala has been a regular in my home ever since I can remember. It’s not mushy like Kappa Puzhukku, but the tapioca pieces are boiled until soft and spiced mildly with red chillies and a good amount of garlic. It’s delicious on its own as a quick snack in the evenings with tea or an accompaniment to your breakfast.

Kerala kappa masala, kerala tapioca masala recipe

I hope you have fun cooking up your Kappa Masala Recipe.

Love Kerala recipes? Check out some of my favourites:
Ulli vada
Kerala egg roast recipe
Stir-fried jackfruit seeds
Kerala chicken roast

Kerala Kappa Masala
 
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Kappa masala is a Kerala-style tapioca masala dish which is easy to make and delicious to eat. This is usually a snack dish but you can also serve as a main with some chicken curry or vegetable curry on the side
Author:
Recipe type: Mains
Cuisine: Indian
Serves: 5
Ingredients
  • 5 cups of kappa or tapicoa, cubed (about 500 gm)
  • 5 cloves of garlic, crushed
  • 5 dry red chillies (adjust to taste)
  • 2 tbsp of coconut oil
  • ½ tsp of black mustard seeds
  • ½ tsp of split urad dal
  • 1 strand of curry leaves, torn into pieces
  • ¼ tsp of turmeric powder
  • Salt to taste
Instructions
  1. Peel the tapioca and wash it thoroughly to remove any dirt and sand.
  2. Cut into rough cubes by driving the knife in and splitting it off the centre of the tapioca.
  3. Cook the tapioca in a pan with enough water to cover it by an inch, until the pieces are soft (about 10-15 mins).
  4. Crush or coarsely grind 5 cloves of garlic and 5 red chillies together in a pestle and mortar.
  5. Heat 2 tbsp coconut oil and add ½ tsp mustard seeds.
  6. When they pop, add the garlic-chilli paste along with ¼ tsp turmeric powder and fry for 10 seconds or until fragrant.
  7. Add the cooked tapioca, salt, and the curry leaves.
  8. Mix well and continue to stir until the spices coat the tapioca.
  9. Taste to ensure all spices are to your taste and remove from heat
  10. Serve hot with tea

Step by Step Kerala Kappa Masala Recipe:

Peel the tapioca and wash it thoroughly. Cut into rough cubes by driving the knife in and splitting it off the centre of the tapioca. There’s a technique to this actually. Will upload a video at some point if I can.

Kerala Kappa Masala-Tapioca Masala Recipe

Cook the tapioca in a pan with enough water to cover it by an inch, until the pieces are soft (about 10-15 mins).

Crush or coarsely grind the garlic and red chillies together in a pestle and Mortar.

Heat oil and add the mustard seeds. When they pop, add the garlic-chilli paste along with the turmeric powder and fry for 10 seconds until fragrant.

Add the cooked tapioca, salt, and the curry leaves. Mix well and continue to stir until the spices coat the tapioca.

Kerala Kappa Masala-Tapioca Masala Recipe

That’s it! Hot and delicious Kappa Masala is ready. Wasn’t that easy?

Kerala kappa masala, kerala tapioca masala recipe

Love the serving dish? Check out more details of where I buy my food photo props from!

 Notes:

– Use fresh garlic please. None of that minced bottled stuff.
– You can use red chilli powder if you don’t have whole chillies.
– The kappa must be cooked soft before you proceed with the rest of the cooking process.

For Kerala kappa masala recipe in Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Hindi, Urdu, etc please use the Google translate button in the sidebar.

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    • Of course I did, it’s mentioned in the method of preparation. I have also updated it in the ingredients list now.

      Reply

  5. I've never tried tapioca before, but after cooking the dish today, I think this veggie will feature on my grocery list going forward. S thank you for the recipe and the detailed info on tapioca.

    Reply

  10. I am making these today…I was going through your oldposts and about the street that you bought the bowls from…..Now you used the bowl that you bought from kappabashi to seve kappa masala…;)…I love the bowl!

    Reply

  22. We always used to make kappa with coconut and this was something new to me! Had some frozen kappa and made it in the afternoon and it came out perfect! Will post mine soon…

    Reply

  25. i want to have this right now. got to go to the kerala shop in my neighborhood vicinity and buy tapioca soon. my mom make in a similar way and i am reminded of her at this moment.

    Reply

  27. nice pics… this is one of the common dishes at mom's place 🙂 But we call it kappa mulagittathu 🙂 though we also fry a little bit of coconut and add it to the dish 🙂 will try it your way this time 🙂

    Reply

  28. Love kappa, and garlic. The combination will be yummy…
    While reading through the post it crossed my mind : Amma always warns me to boil tapioca in excess water and drain the water . She says there is some residual cyanide in some varieties which has to be drained off..

    Reply