Kappa Biriyani

Kappa/Tapioca./Cassava is one of  malayalee's comfort food. It can be prepared in several ways like Kappa vevichathu, Kappa puzhukku with/without mathi, Kappa curry etc. Kappa vevichathu is one of my favourite tea time snack :)

I've never had Kappa Biriyani before, heard about this from Sathya. He used to have it from a mess in Bangalore. I've not had the chance to taste it. This is not much famous in North Malabar. I got the recipe from our friends Benny & Treesa.

Kappa Biriyani is combination of any meat along with Kappa instead of rice. I've used Beef, can be replaced with chicken, lamb or pork. I think the best combo would be beef :)

This was indeed finger licking good and I would definitely include it in my menu once in a month.

Recipe Source: Treesa

Ingredients:

Tapioca - 1 kg, cut in chunks
Beef - 500 g
Grated coconut - 1 cup
Small onions/Shallots - 5-6 nos
Garlic - 5  nos
Green chilli - 5 nos, adjust to your taste
Curry leaves - 2 sprigs
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tbsp
Salt
Water
Mustard seeds - ½ tbsp, to temper
Whole dry red chilli - 3 nos, to temper

For Beef Marination:

Turmeric powder - ½ tsp
Kashmiri chilli powder - 1 tsp
Coriander powder - ½ tbsp
Garam masala - 1 tsp
Ginger - ½ tsp, finely grated
Garlic - 1 tsp, finely grated
Lemon juice
Salt

Marinate the cleaned beef pieces with the above mentioned powders for an hour.

Instructions:

To prepare beef:

• Heat oil in a pressure cooker. Add finely sliced onion (1 no) and sauté till it's golden brown.
• Add the marinated beef and fry till the beef turns brown colour.
• Pressure cook the beef until it is cooked well.

To prepare Kappa:

• Take enough water and put the kappa pieces.
• Add salt and turmeric powder.
• Let the water boil and then close the lid for the pieces to get cooked. Stir in intervals.
• When the kappa gets soft and cooked, discard the water.
• Grind coconut, green chillies, garlic, a sprig of curry leaves,small onions, cumin seeds to a coarse paste.
• Add the grounded coconut mixture paste to the cooked kappa and sauté for few minutes.
• Add in the cooked beef as well.
• Let the mixture gets thoroughly combined and cooked all together. Check for salt.
• Sauté till the beef aroma spreads to the kappa pieces :) Kappa biriyani should have a thick consistency.

To Temper:

• Heat coconut oil. When oil is hot, add mustard seeds. Wait till the mustard gets cracked.
• Split the whole dry red chillies, curry leaves and stir for a minute until it changes color.
• Add this to the Kappa Biriyani and stir well.

Notes:

• Using a kilo of tapioca will lasts definitely for 2 days :)
• Use coconut oil to temper the biriyani.