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Kappa varuthathu
Tapioca chips
കപ്പ വറുത്തത്: thin tapioca chips fried in coconut oil and dusted with chilli and salt
Kappa varuthathu, crisp tapioca chips, are sold by weight in Kerala bakeries from Thiruvananthapuram to Kozhikode and fried at home whenever fresh tapioca is cheap after the monsoon. Peeled roots are shaved very thin, fried in coconut oil with a splash of salt water, and dusted with chilli powder while still hot. They are lighter and crunchier than banana chips, with a faint sweetness under the heat. A common mistake is crowding the pan: the slices stick together and steam instead of crisping, so fry a single handful at a time. Chef's tip: soak the slices in cold water for 10 minutes and dry them thoroughly; it washes off surface starch so the chips stay pale and separate.
- Total time
- 50 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
- 1 ⅔ lb fresh tapioca (cassava) root
- 4 ¼ cups cold waterfor soaking
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- 3 tbsp water
- 3 cups coconut oilfor deep-frying
- 1 ½ tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Cut 1 ⅔ lb fresh tapioca (cassava) root into 10 cm pieces, slit the thick brown skin and pink layer lengthwise and peel them off. Remove the woody central string.
8 minStep 2: Slice paper-thin on a mandoline straight into 4 ¼ cups cold water. Leave 10 minutes, then drain and spread on a cloth until completely dry.
15 minStep 3: Dissolve 1 ½ tsp salt in 3 tbsp water and set it by the stove.
1 minStep 4: Pour 3 cups coconut oil into a heavy kadai or deep pan so it is no more than a third full and heat over medium to 350°F on a thermometer; without one, drop in one slice — it should sizzle and rise at once. Never leave the hot oil unattended. It should bubble fiercely and float.
7 minStep 5: Fry one handful of slices at a time, stirring to separate. When the bubbling quietens, sprinkle in a teaspoon of the salt water (stand back; it splutters) and keep frying until the chips are crisp, pale cream and sound like paper when stirred, 3–4 minutes.
16 minStep 6: Lift into a wide bowl lined with kitchen paper and, while hot, dust with 1 ½ tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder and ¼ tsp gluten-free asafoetida (hing) mixed together; toss. Cool fully before storing airtight.
2 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 310 kcal
- Protein
- 1 g
- Carbs
- 46 g
- Fat
- 14 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does kappa varuthathu take?
- About 50 minutes in total: 25 minutes to prepare and 25 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Is it very spicy?
- It has some heat. Use less chilli for a milder version, or more if you like it hot.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of kashmiri red chilli powder?
- Cayenne, half the amount (hotter).
- What can I use instead of gluten-free asafoetida (hing)?
- A pinch each of garlic powder and onion powder (asafoetida stands in for onion and garlic).
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