• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
butfirstchai.com
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • About Me
  • Middle Eastern
  • South Indian
  • Subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Recipes
  • About Me
  • Middle Eastern
  • South Indian
  • Subscribe
×
Home » Recipes » South Indian

Kappa Puzhukku | Mashed Cassava in Spicy Coconut

Modified: Jul 18, 2024 · Published: Oct 6, 2020 by Famidha Ashraf · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

Jump to Recipe

Kappa Puzhukku or Kizhangu Bariyathu features boiled and mashed tapioca aka cassava mixed with spicy, flavour-packed coconut chutney, and finished off with a tempering of coconut oil. Served for breakfast, lunch or dinner with fish, chicken or beef curry.

tapioca puzhukku

Since the time I moved to UAE, I have been attempting the food that we grew up eating because it is so easy to procure the ingredients here unlike in Yanbu. But as a Malabari, we don't call this Kappa Puzhukku or vevichathu. Instead, we call this dish Kizhangu Bariyathu, or puzhungiyathu if it isn't mashed.

Jump to:
  • 🥘Ingredient Notes
  • 📋What is kappa in Kerala?
  • 🔪How to peel tapioca?
  • 🔪How to make it?
  • ❄️Storage
  • 🍲Related recipes
  • 📖 Recipe Card
  • 💬 Comments

🥘Ingredient Notes

Here is the list of key ingredients to make kappa puzhukku:

  • tapioca 
  • coconut
  • garlic
  • green chillies
  • cumin seeds
  • curry leaves
  • turmeric powder

See the recipe card below for quantities.

📋What is kappa in Kerala?

Cassava or Tapioca is the staple food of Kerala! You can take a Keralite out of Kerala but not tapioca out of a Keralite. I know it should be Kerala out of Keralite, but I wanted to emphasize tapioca! 😜

We spent our childhood amidst tapioca plants. My dad managed to create a mini cassava farm in our home garden in Coimbatore. We had an abundance of this starchy vegetable until, for some reason, we stopped replanting them. I don’t recall why we stopped, but I guess the growing coconut trees needed more attention. All this is to say that kappa is a nostalgic comfort food for us, even though I don’t make it often.😐

Our neighbours in Coimbatore were from southern Kerala, so as kids, we always loved their food, and they loved my mom’s cooking. There was a constant exchange of food, recipes, and discussions about our dialects. The word “kappa” is mainly used in southern Kerala, and I learned it from our neighbours.

Traditionally, kizhangu bariyathu is served with sardine red curry on our side, but since F doesn’t eat seafood, I serve it with beef curry. You can use my beef fry recipe, just make it with a little gravy.

🔪How to peel tapioca?

How I peel tapioca may be questionable for a purist like my dad, who sent me videos to explain how it is done. But I personally never got it easy unless I dump the whole thing in water and then you can score and peel easily. So, if you also struggled like me, then try soaking in water just for a few minutes. And yes, you have to remove the pink skin too!

🔪How to make it?

Apart from peeling and chopping, there isn't any challenge in this recipe. Boil, make the coconut paste and mix and lastly add the tempering!

boiling tapioca chunks in plenty of water

Add the tapioca pieces to a deep saucepot and fill it with water and salt to taste.

boiled tapicoa cubes

Bring this to a boil and continue to cook until the tapioca pieces are tender but still hold the shape. Switch off and drain all the water and put back the boiled pieces into the pot. 

coconut mixture added to boiled and drained tapioca

Prepare the coconut mixture as per the recipe and add to the boiled tapioca along with the turmeric powder. Mash it thoroughly using the back of the spoon or a potato masher. 

mixed with spices

Heat this on low flame while mashing and stirring the mixture. Adjust the salt for taste and cook until the mixture thickens. Switch off and keep covered while you prepare the tempering.

kappa puzhukku with added tadka

Pour the tempering over the prepared kappa puzhukku. Mix thoroughly and serve warm as is or with any spicy fish curry or beef curry. 

kappa puzhukku served with beef

❄️Storage

Kappa puzhukku can be stored in the fridge for up to 2-3 days. When ready to eat, reheat the kappa puzhukku in a microwave or on the stovetop. Add a little water to help it reheat without burning the food.

🍲Related recipes

A few more south-Indian food recipes that you can try.

  • rava upma
    Rava Upma Recipe
  • Tuna cutlets with ketchup
    Tuna Cutlet Recipe (Kerala Style)
  • A bowl of tomato onion chutney with a serving spoon.
    Tomato Onion Chutney
  • A bowl of coconut tomato chutney with freshly tempered with tadka.
    Tomato Coconut Chutney

📖 Recipe Card

Kaapa served in a bowl with beef curry.

Kappa Puzhukku

Kappa Puzhukku is a dish of boiled and mashed tapioca mixed with spicy flavour-packed coconut chutney and is finished off with a coconut oil tadka.
No ratings yet
Print Pin Rate SaveSaved!
Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes minutes
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 761.95kcal
Author: Famidha Ashraf
Prevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients
 

To boil tapioca chunks

  • 1 kg tapioca, weighed as whole pieces
  • water as required, (to submerge the pieces)
  • Salt to taste

For the spicy coconut paste

  • 1 cup grated coconut, you may add ½ cup more
  • 3 mini shallots, sliced thinly
  • 3 garlic cloves, diced finely
  • 2 green chillies, chopped finely
  • ½ teaspoon cumin seeds , or fennel seeds
  • curry leaves
  • salt to taste
  • ½ teaspoon turmeric powder

For tempering

  • 1 tablespoon coconut oil
  • 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
  • 2 to 3 dried red chillies 
  • curry leaves

Instructions

Boil

  • Peel the tapioca skin and discard any blackened portion.
  • Chop them into bite-size and wash thoroughly in a colander under running water to remove all dirt.
  • Add the tapioca to a deep saucepot and fill it with water and salt to taste.
  • Bring this to boil and continue to cook until the tapioca pieces are tender but still hold the shape. You may cover and cook too.
  • Switch off and drain all the water and put back the boiled pieces into the pot.

Grind the coconut mixture

  • Add the grated coconut, shallots, garlic, green chillies, cumin or fennel seeds, curry leaves and salt into a chutney maker and grind to a coarse paste.
  • Add this ground mixture to the boiled tapioca along with the turmeric powder and mash it thoroughly using the back of the spoon or a potato masher.

Cook

  • Heat this on a low flame while mashing and stirring the mixture. Adjust the salt for taste and cook until the mixture thickens.
  • Switch off and keep covered while you prepare the tempering.

temper (tadka)

  • Heat coconut oil in a small tadka pan.
  • Add the mustard seeds and let them splutter.
  • Reduce the flame and add the dried red chillies and curry leaves.
  • Fry until crisped and pour the tempering over the prepared kappa puzhukku.

Serve

  • Mix thoroughly and serve warm as is or with any spicy fish or beef curry.

Nutrition Info

Calories: 761.95kcal | Carbohydrates: 143.42g | Protein: 3.34g | Fat: 24.57g
Course: Breakfast, Main Course, Snack
Cuisine: Indian, Kerala, South Indian
Tried this recipe?Please consider Leaving a Review!

More South Indian Recipes

  • erachi choru - kerala style beef rice recipe
    Beef Rice (Erachi Choru)
  • red seeds milk drink recipe
    Red Seeds Milk Drink (Aliv seeds)
  • chicken chettinad curry recipe
    Chicken Chettinad Curry
  • kerala style egg puffs
    Kerala style spicy masala egg puffs

Reader Interactions

Comments

No Comments

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

Mr.F and Famidha

Hey, I'm Famidha

An Indian chai lover in the UAE. As a passionate food blogger, I share a diverse collection of recipes spanning the Middle East and South Asia. With each dish, I aim to spark your culinary curiosity and encourage you to try new flavours and cooking methods.

about me

Popular

  • Cucumber Tomato Feta Salad
    Cucumber Tomato Feta Salad

  • A bowl of cucumber salad with a small bowl of roasted peanuts by the side.
    Sweet and Sour Cucumber Salad

  • chickpea sundal recipe
    Chickpea Sundal

  • fatteh chickpeas
    Fatteh Hummus

Seasonal

  • Chocolate Brownies with Avocado pieces
    Chocolate Brownies with Avocado

  • chocolate salami served in a round plate.
    Chocolate Salami without Eggs

  • a plate of chocolate date balls
    Chocolate Date Balls

  • kataifi truffles with condensed milk
    Sweet Kataifi Truffles

Footer

↑ back to top

About

  • Privacy Policy
  • Media Mentions

Newsletter

  • Sign Up!

Contact

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • YouTube
  • Pinterest

Copyright © 2025 But first Chai

Rate This Recipe

Your vote:




A rating is required
A name is required
An email is required