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.
I hope you have fun cooking up this 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
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Total Time: 30 mins
- Yield: 5 1x
- Category: Mains
- Cuisine: Indian
Description
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
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
- 1/2 tsp of black mustard seeds
- 1/2 tsp of split urad dal
- 1 strand of curry leaves, torn into pieces
- 1/4 tsp of turmeric powder
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Peel the tapioca and wash it thoroughly to remove any dirt and sand.
- Cut into rough cubes by driving the knife in and splitting it off the centre of the tapioca.
- 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 5 cloves of garlic and 5 red chillies together in a pestle and mortar.
- Heat 2 tbsp coconut oil and add 1/2 tsp mustard seeds.
- When they pop, add the garlic-chilli paste along with 1/4 tsp turmeric powder and fry for 10 seconds or until fragrant.
- Add the cooked tapioca, salt, and the curry leaves.
- Mix well and continue to stir until the spices coat the tapioca.
- Taste to ensure all spices are to your taste and remove from heat
- 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.
Cook the tapioca in a pan with enough water to cover it by an inch, until the pieces are soft (about 10-15 mins).
Drain the remaining water and discard.
Crush or coarsely grind the garlic and red chillies together in a pestle and Mortar.
Heat oil and add the mustard seeds following by the split urad dal.
When the mustard seeds pop, add the garlic-chilli paste along with the turmeric powder and fry for 10 seconds so that the paste turns fragrant.
Add the cooked tapioca, salt, and the curry leaves.
Mix well and continue to stir until the spices coat the tapioca.
That’s it! Hot and delicious Kappa Masala is ready. Wasn’t that easy?
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.
I was looking for a quick and easy recipe to cook my kappa and I happened upon yours. It was perfect. Just what I needed. Thank you for being so generous with your knowledge.
★★★★
You have missed mentioning the split urad dal in the seasoning after adding the mustard in the oil.
thanks for calling it out! i have edited the kappa masala recipe now
Beautiful recipe!! Simply yumm. One question though, shouldn’t the water in which the Kappa is cooked thrown away?
★★★★★
yes! i have updated recipe to reflect this
I made this today :). Turned out great… Thank you so much !
thank you erica!
Didn’t you add salt
Of course I did, it’s mentioned in the method of preparation. I have also updated it in the ingredients list now.
Couldn't get kappa in time 🙁 Sill was great to taste kappa vicariously through you all! Thanks for this cookalong Nags!
nags…couldnt find the linky tool..so havent linked my post…
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.
Hi Nags,
I too joined in this cook out and have posted recipe in my blog 🙂
I've never eaten this growing up but one of my mallu/tamil friend made it once for me – and I loved it.
If I cannot get to the international grocery (45 mins away) in time, would potato sub for cassava root in this?
yes potato should work just fine.
Nice pics dear…Yummy kappa masala …me too do the same way
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!
wow its been years since I had it thanks for sharing. Now I am craving for it Naga.
so you used the bowl finally ! loved it ! i am sure joining !
Perfectly made and looks so tempting.
Though i have never tasted this before, i am sure this will taste yum, loved the clicks too
Wow! This looks delicious! I wonder if I can get fresh tapioca anywhere in Tokyo…:)
We do make this,but without the flavorings,to go along with mathi mulakittathu. Wud definitly try 2 b a part of this event!!! 🙂
looks delicious..
I can have this kappa masala for snacks, loving that bowl.
Wow Nags, havent had kappa for a while now, I'm definitely taking part in this…
what's good is, I get to take part and eat it too 😉
Regards,
Manju
http://manjuseatingdelights.blogspot.com/
Simply droolworthy and yummy masala. Wonderful recipe.
Masala looks so good. I never made Tapioca though.
I guess we need some experience in the peeling and cutting.
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…
Your Tapioca Masala looks absolutely stunning!
Wow..you got fresh kappa???…your dish looks amazing Nags…
I will try to join but have to find kappa first!!!
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.
I am so tempted to make this right now. Wish it was easy to find tapioca in Hyd.
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 🙂
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..
yummy stir fry
Simple and delicious kappa preparation…Lovely captures..
Thats a very beautiful serving bowl…nice kappa masala,though never tasted it..
Love Kappa! have to go find some so I can join in the fun 🙂