AI-generated image
Kurakkan thalapa
කුරක්කන් තලප (kurakkan thalapa): soft, smooth finger millet dumplings from the South, eaten with a sour curry
In the dry zone villages behind Hambantota and Tissamaharama, kurakkan thalapa is the old-fashioned lunch of farmers: finger millet flour stirred into boiling salted water until it becomes a smooth, heavy, purplish-brown dough, shaped into balls and eaten by hand. Traditionally it is torn and dipped into a sour, black-peppery fish ambulthiyal, but it is just as good with a vegetable curry, kiri hodi or a fiery lunu miris for a vegan meal. The taste is mild and earthy, and it keeps you full for hours. The most common mistake is tipping all the flour in at once, which leaves dry lumps that never smooth out; add it in stages, beating hard with a wooden spoon. Chef's tip: once the dough comes together, cover the pan and let it steam over a very low heat for five minutes; that is what removes the raw, floury taste.
- Total time
- 20 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the thalapa
- 2 ½ cups water
- 1 tsp salt
- 3 tbsp coconut milkoptional, for a softer finish
Shop this recipe on Amazon
Spices & pantry
Links open Amazon in a new tab. As an Amazon Associate, WhatToEat.Today earns from qualifying purchases.
Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Bring 2 ½ cups water and 1 tsp salt to a rolling boil in a heavy saucepan.
5 minStep 2: Turn the heat to low and add 9 oz finger millet (ragi) flour a third at a time, beating hard with a wooden spoon after each addition until no dry flour remains, about 3–4 minutes in all.
4 minStep 3: Stir in 3 tbsp coconut milk if using, then cover the pan and leave on the lowest heat for 5 minutes to steam.
5 minStep 4: Uncover and beat again for 1–2 minutes until the dough is smooth, glossy and pulls away from the sides.
2 minStep 5: Wet your hands with cold water and shape the hot dough into 4 smooth balls. Serve warm with a sour curry or lunu miris.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 230 kcal
- Protein
- 5 g
- Carbs
- 46 g
- Fat
- 2 g
- Fibre
- 7 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does kurakkan thalapa take?
- About 20 minutes in total: 5 minutes to prepare and 15 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 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.
- What can I use instead of coconut milk?
- Single cream, same amount (not dairy free).
Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to cook it.
Rate this recipe
Sign in to rate and review this recipe.
You might also like
Polos curry
Polos is the tiny unripe jackfruit picked in the Western and Sabaragamuwa provinces long before it sweetens, and cooked low and slow it becomes one of the island's most loved festival curries, especially at Sinhala and Tamil New Year in April and at wedding lunches. The firm, pale flesh soaks up a very dark roasted curry powder, garlic, ginger, goraka (a smoky souring fruit) and coconut milk until it turns almost black-brown and tastes rich, sour and meaty. Fresh polos is hard to find abroad; tinned young green jackfruit in brine works well. A frequent mistake is not cooking it long enough, which leaves it squeaky; the pieces must be soft enough to break with a spoon. Chef's tip: oil your hands and knife before cutting fresh jackfruit; the sticky white sap washes off oiled skin but not dry skin.
Paneer biryani
A mild, creamy biryani: rice and husked green gram roasted in ghee, then cooked in coconut milk with peas, carrots, potatoes, peanuts and cashews, and finished with soft fried paneer and a fresh coriander yogurt. Serve hot, garnished with more fried cashews and paneer.
Indian
Hyderabadi chicken dum biryani
Hyderabad's biryani grew up in the kitchens of the Nizams, and the kacchi style is its proudest form: the chicken goes into the pot raw, in a thick yogurt, mint and fried-onion marinade, and cooks only in the steam trapped under part-cooked basmati. In the old city it is wedding and Eid food, ordered in huge copper deghs, and at home it's the Sunday showpiece, served with mirchi ka salan and a cooling raita. Because the meat cooks without being stirred, small bone-in thigh and drumstick pieces work best. Chef's tip: marinate overnight in the fridge — the yogurt tenderises the chicken and the flavours go right to the bone.