Mathi Kappa Puzhukku / Mashed Tapioca and Sardines with Coconut and Spices

I don’t know how many of you have heard or eaten this simple dish from God’s own country Kerala.....This is a dish my mom used to make from a recipe she received from my grandma after her wedding..... It’s a dish you can have on its own without any side dishes.....I love it and whenever I buy sardines I make a small portion like this all for myself since my hubby doesn’t like it :)....A unique taste when the simple kappa (tapioca) is cooked with mathi (sardines), kudampuli and spiced coconut....

Mathi Kappa Puzhukku / Mashed Tapioca and Sardines with Coconut and SpicesIngredients:



Kappa / Tapioca- ½ kg
Mathi / Sardines – 8 to 10 nos
Freshly grated coconut- 1 to 1½ cups
Green chillies-5
Garlic-3 big pieces
Geerakom / Cumin seeds- 1tsp
Turmeric powder-1/2 tsp
Kudampuli / Fish Tamarind / Cocum / Gamboge – 2 pieces
Salt to taste
To season:
Coconut oil-1tbsp
Mustard seeds- 1tsp
Chumannulli / Shallots - 2tbsp sliced
Dry Red chillies – 3 (cut in to 2)
Curry leaves- few

Method:

• Clean mathi / sardines, rinse them first with salt and vinegar and then clean thoroughly, make two gashes on each side of the sardines. Cook sardines with little water, ¼ tsp turmeric powder and salt till dry. Take the flesh from the cooked fish and keep aside.
• Soak kudampuli / cocum in ½ cup water and keep aside.
• Grind coarsely grated coconut, cumin seeds, garlic, green chillies and turmeric powder and keep aside.
• Discard the outer brown and inner pink layer skin of Tapioca and cut in to small chunks. Wash well and boil the tapioca in a big vessel with lot of water till tender. Add salt to taste and boil 3 more minutes and drain water from tapioca. Slightly mash tapioca with the back of a wooden spoon.
• Add ground coconut paste to the cooked tapioca along with cooked mathi / sardine pieces, kudampuli / cocum with its water. Cover with a lid and cook till there is no raw flavor (about 10 mints) and remove from flame.
• Heat 1 tbsp coconut oil in a frying pan and add mustard seeds. When it starts crackling add sliced chumannulli / shallots and fry till golden brown. Then add dry red chillies and curry leaves and fry and add this seasoning to the cooked tapioca and mix well.
• Serve hot. (This dish is good on the day it is made so I advise you to make small portions).

Sending this over to Kerala Kitchen hosted by Magpie this month, featuring dishes inspired by Kerala :)...