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Monday, December 25, 2006

Arikadukka - Stuffed Mussels

Kadukka or Kallumakai as mussels is known in Malayalam is a popular seafood in Malabar regions of kerala. Mussels are fried, stuffed, curried, pickled and are used in rice dishes for making biriyani or pulao. Ari kadukka, as the name suggests in Malayalam is mussels stuffed in rice paste and steamed within its shell, which is then fried.

Ingredients

25 - 30 - Medium size mussels

For Stuffing dough

3 cups - Rice flour
1.5 cups - Grated coconut
3 - Shallots / small onion
1 tsp - Aniseed
1/2 tsp - Jeera / cumin seeds
Salt to taste

Masala batter

2 tsp - Red chili powder
1/2 tsp - Turmeric powder
1 tbsp - Rice flour
2 - Garlic flakes, finely grated
Salt to taste

Method

1 ) Wash the mussel shells well. Boil the shells in enough water, till the shells open. Drain all the water. Do not use shells that have not opened. Those are not good ones.

2 ) Scoop out the mussel meat from the shell. Clean the inside part of the mussels to remove any dirt there. Cut and remove the black part in the bottom of the mussel. Clean well and set aside.

3 ) Grind the ingredients for the dough, except the rice flour, to a smooth paste with little water. Add to the rice flour and make a dough.




Stuff this dough into the mussel ( inside part of the mussel and the outer part. Cover well with the dough. Place this stuffed mussels in a well cleaned mussel shell to steam.

4 ) Steam the stuffed mussels in a steamer or use a pressure cooker in which a utensil for steaming is placed and steam mussels in it, covered with a lid.


Steam for 10 minutes. When fully cooked. Take off the steamer and place to cool. Then scoop out the stuffed mussels from the shells.

5 ) Mix all the ingredients for masala batter together with little water and make a batter. Dip or lightly coat the steamed mussels in this batter.
6 ) In a wok or kadai, add enough oil to deep fry. Add mussels to the oil and fry till crisp and golden brown in colour.


Serve this Arikadukka as a snack with your evening tea.

5 comments:

Unknown said...

Pravs if we coat it with a watery paste and drop it in hot oil,wont the oil surt out?

Pravs said...

Hi Arathi : Do not make it too watery. Just little water to grind the ingredients together.Make a thick paste and coat batter lightly on the mussels.

Zo-Ya said...

This is my favourite and these taste better when had at the roadside "thattu kada" - every time I go home my dad buys this for me,even though he doesn't really like to buy roadside food-this is one thing where he makes an exception because I like it so much! Interesting blog you have here..
Cheers

Aysha said...

The traditional malabari kallummakkaya nirachathu differ from this.

instead of boiling shelled mussles in water,slightly open the mussle (no boiling required)shell with a sharp knife so that we can clean inside with water and then stuff rice.and then steam.
this way rice dough will get the great flavour of mussle meat.Also gives a nice shape as the meat stick to 2 sides of the dough when steamed.

Anonymous said...

Hai,I m new n your blog..thanks for this receipe.keep going