Narayanettan sprinkled a pinch of pepper powder over prawns getting cooked in coconut milk. A breeze that wafted in through the kitchen window took the sweet smell of the mappas to the customers waiting in the toddy shop. “Ahaa...” exclaims a regular visitor. (Mappas is a dish cooked in creamy coconut milk.)
One feels it is a scene from a Sathyan Anthikkad movie. A narrow walkway flanked by shrubs extends through the middle of a wide expanse of paddy fields. It takes you to a tiny bridge. Towards the left is another narrow path which has paddy fields on one side and a wide canal on the other. It ends at the Vazhathoppu Shaap (shaap is a corruption of shop), a structure with wooden planks for walls and a roof covered with plastic sheet. Its official name is TS 59. (TS is Toddy Shop)
Saneesh Mohan, the owner of the toddy shop, waxes eloquent on the patrons who come in search of the sumptuous fare. He also has much to say about the water transport that was active along the canal in front of the shop in the past. There were frequent boat services from the area. But all the boats ceased operations after roads were built between Kainady, Kavalam, Changanassery and Kottayam. Water hyacinth, plastic and other garbage piled up in the canal. There is just one boat service – to Alappuzha – from the boat landing opposite the shop now.
For travellers eager for a cruise along the backwaters, Saneesh offers his houseboat. There are two packages – a day trip and a day and night trip. Local food is prepared in the boat kitchen. (For details contact: 92494 10006).
Visitors to Vazhathoppu can enjoy the warm hospitality offered by Saneesh and the staff Baiju, Shaji, Girish, Kochumon and others. They prepare dishes having the real local taste.
The Vazhathoppu Shaap is situated along the Kurichi–Kainady-Kavalam road. It can be reached from M C Road taking the deviation at Kurichi. The shop is on the left side of the bridge situated about 150 m before the Kainady junction. From the Kavalam side, it is on the right side after the Kainady junction.
From the exterior, Vazhathoppu presents the image of an ancient local toddy shop. There are coconut trees as well as plantain (vazha) nearby. The aroma of beef being cooked in masala and fish curry spread all over the place. A murikku (Indian Coral) tree stands close to the structure and leans towards the canal. Under its shade, a country boat is seen tied to the tree.
The interiors of the shop comprise tiny rooms with small tables and benches. A pleasant breeze from the paddy field flows constantly through the windows. On the compound, tiny tables and benches are arranged under temporary structures put up to grow bitter gourd. Behind them are two huts built using cloth. Saneesh says that he has no plan to modernise the shop. “People come here to taste the local preparations enjoying the breeze. Foreign tourists arriving on boats along the canal prefer to sit under the bitter gourd climbers and among the plantain orchard (vazhathoppu) for their food,” he explains.
Eera Naryanan, fondly called Narayanettan, is the main chef. It is his culinary skills that have been attracting food lovers from far and wide. Narayanettan’s father Kumaran too was a famous local cook of his time.
Though the Vazhathoppu Shaap offers pork, beef, crab as well as mussels, it is the fish fare that is the most popular among patrons. One can taste sea fish, backwater varieties as well as fish from rivers at the shaap. Local fishermen supply local varieties like varaal, pallathy and kaari. It is this fresh catch that gives the fish items at the shaap their special taste, says Narayanan. Among the most ordered dish is murisu peera, for which the murisu is brought by fishermen from the backwaters every day.
Prawn mappas, prawn roast, karimeen (pearl spot) pollichathu and pearl spot fry are prepared according to orders and served hot. Narayanettan’s masterpiece is the prawn menu. According to him, apart from fresh fish, masala made using unadulterated ingredients is a must for his curries. In addition is the skill of the chef. Kuttanad natives never compromise on fish dishes, either in eating or serving.
Narayanettan’s prawn mappas has fans from all over rushing to the shaap. The prawns are cooked in gravy which has the colour of light orange. The sweet smell of coconut milk and masala can be felt while serving. Appam, tapioca and parotta are ideal accompaniments, says Narayanettan. Coconut milk and tomatoes give the gravy a sweet taste while green chilli and masala a hot flavour.
Finely cooked prawns have the appearance of butter. Though tapioca and parotta dipped in the gravy taste fine, it is appam that is the perfect match with mappas.
Here is the recipe of Narayanettan’s prawn mappas:
Ingredients
Cleaned prawns – 1 kg
Shallots – 3, finely chopped
Onion – 2, finely chopped
Split green chilli - 3
One small piece ginger chopped
Garlic – 3 or 4 pods
Curry leaves – 2 or 3 bunches
Tomato – one, finely chopped
Pepper powder – half tsp
Fish masala – 1 tsp
Turmeric powder – half tsp
Coriander powder – half tsp
Red chilli powder – half tsp
Pulp from small piece of tamarind
Coconut milk from half-a-coconut (slightly thick)
Mustard seeds – as required
Salt – to taste
Method
Heat oil in a pan and splutter mustard. Add green chilli, curry leaves, shallots, onion, ginger, garlic, tomato and salt. Sauté them till done. Then add coriander powder, red chilli powder, turmeric powder and fish masala and cook. Add tamarind pulp and stir well till the gravy is formed. Now add the cleaned prawns and cook in medium thick coconut milk. Salt can be added if necessary. When done, add thick coconut milk and let it boil mildly. Sprinkle pepper powder and remove from the stove. Serve when it is still warm.
