Kozhikal (Tapioca Finger Fritters)

Kozhikkal / Kappa Porichathu / Tapioca Finger Fritters is a deep fried Thalassery street food in Malabar, Kerala made with tapioca and is served as a tea time snack.Deep fried tapioca fritters looks like fried chicken legs, hence this snack is called Kozhikal or Kozhikkal. Kozhikal recipe is explained with step by step method and photos.

The following ingredients are needed to prepare Kozhikal (Tapioca Finger Fritters).

Tapioca.                                  - 200gm
Red chilly powder.                 -1tsp
Turmeric powder.                  -1/4 tsp
Hing powder.                         -1/2tsp
Garam masala powder.          -1/2tsp
Gram flour (Chickpea flour).- 4 tbsp
Rice flour.                              -1 or 2tbsp
Green chilly.                           -1
Ginger.                                   - a small piece
Garlic.                                    -3 cloves
Curry leaves.                         -1spring
Salt.                                       - to taste
Water.                                    - as required
Curry leaves for garnishing. - 2 spring (optional)
Oil.                                        - for deep frying.

Instructions:-

1). Chop and remove the outer skin of tapioca and wash well. Chop the tapioca into medium thin 1or 2 inch strips (slices) lengthwise.

2). Wash the chopped Tapioca pieces and keep them in water for 5 minutes.

3). Wash and chop green chilly into very thin round pieces and keep aside.

4). Peel, wash and crush a small piece of ginger and keep aside.

5). Peel, chop and crush garlic cloves and keep aside.

6). Wash and finely chop curry leaves and keep aside.

Method:-

1). In a mixing bowl add the thinly chopped green chilly pieces, crushed ginger, chopped and crushed garlic, finely chopped curry leaves, required salt, red chilly powder and turmeric powder.

2). Mix all the above ingredients using your finger tips and keep aside the mixture to marinate for 5 minutes.

3). Add gram flour (chickpea flour), rice flour and hing powder to the mixture in the mixing bowl and mix with all the ingredients using your hands.

4). Add required water little by little into the flour mixture and make a semi thick batter.

 

 5). Add garam masala powder into the batter and mix with all the ingredients in the mixing bowl.

6). Drain water completely from the chopped tapioca slices and add them into the batter in the mixing bowl.

7). Mix the tapioca slices well using your hand till the batter nicely coated with the tapioca slices and keep aside to rest for 3 minutes.

8). Heat oil in a pan on high flame for deep frying.Once the oil is hot lower the flame to medium heat.Take 4 or 5 batter coated tapioca slices from the bowl and keep its ends in between your fingers and gently press together with your fingers and slid it into the hot oil.Deep fry them in batches till crispy on medium flame.

9). Toss in between with a slotted spoon to cook and become crispy on all sides.

10). Remove the deep fried and crispy tapioca fritters (Kozhikkal) from hot oil with a slotted spoon.

11). Transfer the deep fried tapioca finger fritters (Kozhikkal) to a tissue paper on a serving plate to absorb excess oil.

12). Repeat the process and deep fry all the batter coated tapioca strips till crispy on medium flame. Lastly fry 2 springs of curry leaves in hot oil to garnish (optional).

A tasty, crispy and delicious Kozhikal / Tapioca Finger Fritters are ready to serve with hot tea or coffee.