KAPPAYUM MEENUM

    Somewhere in the early 2000s, a rainy evening my hubby got into a mood of eating Fish Curry with Steamed Tapioca i.e. "Kappayum Meenum".  Any craving has to be set forth and satiated  immediately.  He got into action and went to buy some Fish and Tapiocas.  It was almost 7 in the evening, though he could buy Fish he couldn't get Tapioca in the midst of climbing up & down numerous shops.  He isn't a person to let his craving go off that easily.  Called his friends and asked them whether they could source out some Tapioca, and I am not sure, how one of his friend bought a few pieces of Tapioca for all the glee of my husband.  Happy go Lucky he was and there his craving was satiated to the core on that day.  He is an ardent fan... maybe ardent is the least suitable word for the same... he goes head over heels for Tapiocas.  And if it is combined with A Fish Curry or along with Beef - Kappayum Irachiyum, he loves it to the core.  So for people who love this combo, here comes Kerala's popular - "Kappayum Meenum". 

    Tapioca and Fish Curry combo stayed underrated within the walls of Kerala Kitchen for a long time until these Kallu shappu and NRI cravings paved the way for propagating this combo.  And even I remember a movie dialogue from Malayalam Movie Kangaroo where Suraj Venjaramood says "Don't serve Kappayum Meenum to the NRI Bridegroom, just serve some fried rice.  You can readily shoo him off." 

KAPPAYUM MEENUM

    A simple dish as a matter of fact, what you need is just to steam cook the Tapiocas and if you have Fish curry then just combine it up with steamed Tapiocas as you eat a curry with Rice.  And that's one simple dish of laymen of those days.  When Rice was a scarcity or a luxury, Tapiocas came to the rescue to the locals and the tuber rich in carbohydrate filled their hunger driven stomachs and the need for energy for a whole day's toil.

    Mostly, a day-old Fish Curry is served along with steamed Tapiocas.  Left over curries, used up with Rice or Kanji or Tapiocas or Raw Jackfruit, were a norm during those days.  A hearty & quick breakfast to keep up with the hard toil of the day.  Kappayum Meenum is a dish which can easily be served at any time of the day.  Be it as a Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner or even as a snack.

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HOW TO COOK KAPPAYUM MEENUM - STEAMED TAPIOCAS WITH FISH CURRY

So what you need for this recipe - Kaapyum Meeenum

• Steam Cooked Tapiocas &
  
• A Fish Curry

STEAM COOKED TAPIOCAS:

KAPPAYUM MEENUM

It is very easy to Steam cooking Tapiocas,  just peel, clean, wash and cut the Tapiocas into desired sizes.  Then cook tapiocas in ample of water along with Turmeric & Salt.  Turmeric is purely optional, but I would suggest you to add it.  As it is a tuber dug out from the soil, it is always advisable to cook such vegetables or tubers along with Turmeric Powder.  While serving it along with Fish Curries, can slightly overcook & mash the tuber.

For a detailed explanation of HOW TO CLEAN  COOK TAPIOCAS, Click here...

• Some like the steamed Tapiocas mashed & seasoned colloquially called Kappa/Maravalli Kuzhachathu/Udachathu. Will post the recipe soon. 
• Kaapa Puzhungiyathu with Mulagu Chalichathu is another best combination popular in God's Own Country.
• A simple stir-fried the steamed Tapiocas - Kappa Ularthiyathu also goes hand in hand with Fish Curries.

For more RECIPES WITH TAPIOCAS, Click here...

FISH CURRY:

And when it comes to Fish Curry, prepare a typical Nadan Kerala Style Curry for the combo which is the best suitable to be served along with steamed Tapiocas.  If it's spicy and tangy then needless to say - it would be damn perfect.

For Fish Curry Options:

FISH CURRY WITH RAW MANGOES

ALLEPPEY FISH CURRY

MEEN MULAGITTATHU

MEEN THILAPPICHATHU

• Fish Curry with Raw Mangoes
• Meen Mulagittathu/Meen Vevichathu
• Alleppey Meen Curry
• Meen Kudampuli Ittu Vattichathu
• Meen Thala(Fish Head) Curry
• Meen Thilappichathu
  
• Malabar Meen Curry
• Angamaly Style Meen Curry
  
• Palaghat Style Meen Kudampuli Itta Curry/Meen Puli
  

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HOW TO SERVE KAPPAYUM MEENUM:

KAPPAYUM MEENUM

    Slightly mash the steam cooked Tapiocas.  At home we do not personally prefer mashing it.  Pour in a ladle full of spicy Fish Curry with a slice/piece of Fish.  And there you go with a typical Nadan kerala style dish - "Kappayum Meenum"

Heavenly is the duo.  Indulge with all might.  

Enjoy Kappayum Meenum!!!

Amma's Palakkadan Meen Puli Recipe

 "Amma's Palakkadan Meen Puli: A Taste of Kerala's Culinary Heritage"

Culinary Exploration After Marriage - Adapting to New Tastes and Traditions

     Getting married is undoubtedly a sudden exposure to new things: food, culture, lifestyle. This is universal across gender, communities, and regions. It also means a lot of effort to get acquainted with and start loving the host of new things in life. It’s not that one does all of it spontaneously, nor are you forced into it. With time, you get used to it, some you learn to brush away with a smile, and some you adapt to with a smile. Getting to love new food and new tastes is always an uphill task. A dish that you never had in life might be a favourite in your in-law’s house. Either your mother-in-law cooks it with pride or tries to teach you with precision. That is how heirloom recipes are preserved and passed on. Humans are by nature flexible and adaptable, and often we begin recreating such dishes that were once new to our taste buds with minor changes to suit tastes.

NADAN FISH FRY WITH COCONUT MILK

    Fish Fry is a simple recipe, a simple marinade with Salt, Red Chilli Powder and Turmeric is more than enough to bring out the taste and flavour of a Fish Fry.  When a few other ingredients follow the toll, it takes the recipe into another level. Ginger Garlic Paste, Pepper/Fennel/Cumin Powder, some add tangy ingredients like Lemon Juice/Tamarind, can spice it up with Kandhari/Bird's Eye chillies.  The versions and variations a Fish Fry can be made is innumerable, and it even changes with regions from which it originates and takes twists and turns to suit a cook's whims and fancies.

    Recently, I was watching a Malayalam Movie "Maduram" and the actor in the Movie, Mr.Joju George cooks a fish fry in it.  He says he added a bit of coconut milk while marinating the fish.  The dialogue instantly caught my attention and the very next day I got into action.  And absolutely the taste of the Fish Fry was astounding, just the addition of Coconut Milk had elevated the taste and flavour of this Fish Fry.  So, a Fish Fry inspired from the Movie, "Maduram" through the words of Actor Joju George.  Some dialogues coming from some actors really make the dish sound interesting and tasty. 

    This Nadan Fish Fry is a spicy, tasty and flavour filled dish with a mild note of tanginess laced with coconut milk. This Nadan Fish Fry is comparatively spicy, which makes it a perfect combo along with heady Toddy. Simply serve this Nadan Kerala Style Fish Fry as an appetizer or as a side dish.



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Cuisine - Kerala
Course - Appetizer/Side Dish
Spice Level - Medium-High
Difficulty - Easy
Serves - 2-3
Author - SM


Preparation Time - 10 - 15 Minutes
Marination - 30 Minutes - 1 Hour
Cooking Time - 20 - 30 Minutes


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HOW TO COOK NADAN FISH FRY WITH COCONUT MILK

NADAN FISH FRY WITH COCONUT MILK

INGREDIENTS:

To Marinate the Fish:

To Grind:

Shallots - 8-10 No's.
Ginger - 1" Piece - 2 No's.
Garlic - 5-6 Cloves
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 Teaspoon
Red Chilli Powder - 11/2 Teaspoon
Peppercorns - 1Teaspoon
Cumin Seeds - 1/2 Teaspoon
Curry Leaves - a few sprigs

For Shallow Frying :

METHOD:

For Nadan Fish Fry: 

• Clean, wash and Cut Fish into slices.
• Clean and wash the Fish and allow it to drain in a Colander.
• If using a full fish, draw 3-4 incisions with a sharp knife all over the fish.
• Grind all the ingredients mentioned under "To Grind" into a fine paste.  Sprinkle some water while grinding if necessary.
• Marinate the Fish Slices with the with above ground paste along with Coconut Oil, Thick Coconut Milk, Salt & Lemon Juice.
• Leave this aside for about 30 minutes - 1 hour.
• Heat Coconut oil in a pan, line it up with a few sprigs of Curry Leaves.
• Then place a few marinated Fish Slices and shallow fry the Fish slices.
• Fry the fish slices on a medium-low flame for a few minutes.
• Gently flip the fish and fry the other side for a few more minutes, or until it is fried on both sides.
• The Fish should turn crispy and into golden brown.
• Remove from oil and drain it.
• Serve Nadan Fish Fry with Coconut Milk, hot garnished with Onion Rings and a drizzle of Lime Juice.
• Can serve Kallu shappu style Fish Fry as an Appetizer.
• Nadan Fish Fry goes well with Steamed Rice or along with Vegetarian or Non-Vegetarian Curries, it can also be served as a side dish along with Rice Dishes, Biriyanis & Pulaos.
• This Spicy Fish Fry goes hand in hand with a glass of Thengin Kallu(Toddy).
•  Can serve this tasty Fish Fry in a Kerala Style Fish Curry Meals for a Lunch too.

NADAN FISH FRY WITH COCONUT MILK

NOTES:

• Any type of fish-small/big variety can be used for this recipe.
• I have prepared the dish with Halibut Fish Slices., even medium-sized whole fish can be used for the purpose.
• Adjust the amount of spices as per your taste and the size of the fish.
• Can marinate the fish overnight and leave it in the refrigerator. 
• Using Coconut Oil gives the authentic taste to the dish. Can use any other cooking oil too.
• Adding Coconut Milk is purely optional, but it gives an added taste and note of flavour to this  Nadan Fish Fry.
  
• Can Deep Fry or shallow Fry the fish as per your preference.
• I usually shallow fry the fish.
• Curry Leaves gives an incredible flavour to the roast.
  

KARIMEEN THILAPPICHATHU

     Meen Thilappichathu is a common fish preparation of Central Kerala especially Cochin. This is a simple and light Fish Curry unique to Gods Own Country. This dish is, fish cooked in a spicy and tangy mix. You can use any kind of fish for this recipe. I have used Karimeen/pearl Spot Fish in this recipe. Thilappichathu' means 'boil' in Malayalam.
    These recipes have a special place in our In-Laws place, as they are from Cochin.  I learnt this from my MIL, who has a great hand on it. Her mother's fish curries were so tasty and authentic that the taste lingers in my memories always.  She was a great cook, who can cook as a single person for a big banquet.  And her style of cooking was awesome.  My husband always says, make Meen curry as spicy and red as Ammoomas Curry.  Her curries would be so spicy, red and all the more perfectly cooked to suit every bodies taste.  She uses Kashmiri Chilli Powder and normal Red Chilli powder combo for the curries.  We have named Kashmiri Chilli Powder as 'Ammoomas Mulagu Podi' (Grand mothers' Chilli Powder) in our household as she used to pack a big batch of this Chilli Powder along with other delicacies whenever we visit Cochin.
     I have used Karimeen (Pearl Spot Fish) in this recipe. This recipe would be an absolute treat to people who love Karimeen. I have added tomatoes and vinegar for the tanginess of the Curry.  Karimeen Thilappichathu tastes good with Red Matta Rice/ Kerala Rice, goes well with Chapatis too.


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Cuisine - Kerala (India)
Course - Side Dish
Recipe Type - Curry
Spice Level - Medium-High
Difficulty - Easy
Serves - 3-4
Author - SM

Preparation Time - 15 - 20 Minutes
Cooking Time - 20 - 30 Minutes

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HOW TO COOK KARIMEEN THILAPPICHATHU

KARIMEEN THILAPPICHATHU

INGREDIENTS :

METHOD :

• Clean the fish and make shallow cuts over it. Can use sliced pieces too.
• Heat Coconut Oil in a pan or in an earthen pot.
• Saute Onions, Curry leaves, Ginger, Garlic and Green Chillies until onions turn translucent.
• Add Turmeric Powder and Red Chilli Powder and fry for few seconds (It should not burn or change colour)
• Immediately add chopped Tomatoes and mix well.
• Leave this mix in low flame for few minutes until the raw flavour goes and oil separate.
• Add pre-soaked Cambodge, water and salt. Allow it to boil on a low flame.
• Now add fish to the above and cook until the fish is cooked.
• If adding Vinegar add at this stage. (optional)
• Leave it in low flame for few minutes.
• Switch off the fire.  
• Pour few drops of coconut oil over the dish.
• Garnish Karimeen Thilappichathu with fresh curry leaves and serve hot.
• Can serve with rice or chapati.

Notes :

• Can substitute Tomatoes with Cambodge(Kudam Puli) for the tangy taste.
• I have added vinegar to my curry, as the tomatoes we get here are not sour.
• If you prefer more tanginess in the curry, add any two tangy items of your choice.
• Use any fish of your choice for this recipe.