If Angamaly Diaries became a hit, there was also a special food combo typical of the place that worked behind the box-office success of the 2017 Malayalam movie. The 132-minute film serves out ethnic dishes endemic to Angamaly, Mookkannur, Manjapra, Ayyampuzha and Kalady along a whole east-central belt of Ernakulam district. From tapioca and eggs to pork curries, they line up a grand formation of foods which can be tasty in their unique ways.
What's called kappa biriyani (made with tapioca) across Kerala general is what people of Angamaly call in different names. That is by adding the name of a special ingredient that goes into the biriyani. The list is long: kappa-potti, kappa-pork, kappa-beef, kappa-eggs.... Angamalyites also go for an exotic mix of tapioca, gravy and masala. It forms a side-dish for boiled tapioca and fried beef. Along with is a salad that puts together a set of items finely sliced: onions, ginger, tomato, carrot and beetroot, besides leaves of coriander and mint (pudina).
Here's the recipe:
Preparation
Wash tapioca and, once the water drains, boil it in a vessel or pressure-cooker.
As for beef and pork, their slices should be cooked in a separate container.
Eggs can be added at a later stage.
Take a vat, pour a spoon of oil and sauté onion, garlic and ginger in it.
Once they gain a brownish red colour, add two petals of curry leaves, coriander powder, chilli powder, turmeric powder and garam masala (blend of spices).
Mix them well.
Once the masala seems ripe enough, add the boiled meat to it.
Let it overall boil for another five minutes.
Then add to it the boiled tapioca.
If it is eggs you are adding, the boiled tapioca should be the item to be added first.
Let it mix well to look good. And taste great as well.
That's Angamaly biriyani.
