Steamed and Fried rice cakes with Mussels

Steamed and Fried Rice cakes with Mussels

This recipe comes from my Homeland, Kerala. The culture of Kerala is composite and cosmopolitan in nature and is an integral part of Indian Culture. Kerala cuisine has a multitude of both vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes prepared using fish, poultry and meat.

Since western Kerala has a coastal belt, people enjoy fresh and a wide variety of sea food. This particular recipe comes from a small town called Thalassery or Tellicherry. Spicy food lovers will surely love this snack.

Ingredients :

Mussels - 50 medium sized fresh mussels with shell
Rice Flour - 3 cups (coarsely ground and dry roasted)
Coconut - Grated 1 1/2 cups
Shallots - 5 (if they r small) and 3 if they r big)
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Fennel seeds - 1tbsp
Salt to taste
Water - 4 cups (boiling)
Oil to Fry

For Marinade :

Chili Powder - 1 tsp
Water - enough to make it a thin consistency
Salt to taste

Method of Preparation :

Clean and cut open the fresh mussels. When its open it should look like a butterfly. Do not separate the mussels from its shell. Keep aside

In a mixer grinder, coarsely grind together the grated coconut, fennel seeds, shallots with turmeric powder. Keep aside

Add salt to the roasted rice flour and make a soft dough by adding boiling water to it, little by little. Make sure there are no lumps. While you are doing this, add the ground mixer. Mix well.

Make lemon size balls out of this dough and fill the mussels (with shells). And steam it just as you steam dumplings. Make sure you steam until the rice cake is cooked well.

Let it cool down and remove the shells slowly from its mussels. When the shells are removed you will see that the mussels get stuck to the steamed rice cake.

In a bowl mix chili powder(as per your preference) with water and a pinch of salt. Dip each of these steamed rice cakes with mussels and shallow fry them.

PLEASE NOT : Mussels naturally have salt in them. So make sure you add the right amount of salt while cooking this dish.

Enjoy this snack. I guarantee you will love it :)