Kappa (Tapioca)

Ingredients

• - tapioca (cassava)
• - Coconut oil for cooking
• - 1/2 cup fresh grated coconut
• - Salt to taste
• - Accompaniments as required

Method

1. Prepare tapioca: Peel 500g kappa (tapioca/cassava). Cut into 3-inch pieces. Remove the hard central fibrous core if present.
2. Boil tapioca: Add tapioca pieces to a pot of cold water with salt and half tsp turmeric. Bring to a boil and cook 20-25 minutes until very soft — a knife should go in without any resistance.
3. Drain and cool: Drain the boiled tapioca. Cool slightly and break into rough pieces by hand.
4. Make coconut mixture: Blend half cup fresh grated coconut with 3 green chillies, 4 garlic cloves, half tsp cumin and a pinch of turmeric to a coarse paste.
5. Combine: Mix the coconut paste with the broken boiled tapioca. Toss well.
6. Make tempering: Heat 2 tbsp coconut oil. Add 1 tsp mustard seeds — when they pop add 2 dried red chillies and 2 sprigs curry leaves.
7. Add shallots: Add 8 sliced shallots to the tempering. Fry 5 minutes until golden.
8. Add tapioca mixture: Add the tapioca-coconut mixture to the tempering. Toss well on medium heat 3-4 minutes.
9. Check seasoning: Add salt as needed. The tapioca should be creamy and well-coated.
10. Serve: Kappa should be soft, fragrant and slightly mashed. Serve with fish curry, kadala curry or beef curry.