Kakkarotti

Kakkarotti is a specialty in Thalassery—the flavours that combine when steamed rice dumplings are blended with a saucy meat curry are sure to create waves.

Ingredients
For the gravy

250gm onion
4 green chillies
A sprig of curry leaves
250gm mutton
1 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp coriander powder 
½ tsp fennel seeds powdered
3 pods of clove
3 cardamom pods
1 inch piece of cinnamon
¼ tsp turmeric powder
1 tomato sliced
1 tsp crushed ginger
1 tsp crushed garlic 
1 tbsp coriander leaves chopped
Ghee or oil, as required

For the coconut paste

1 cup coconut
A few curry leaves
1 tsp chopped shallots 
½ tsp fennel seeds
¼ tsp turmeric powder

For the dumplings

A bowl of parboiled rice soaked in hot water for 3-4 hours and drained
1 cup coconut
1 tbsp chopped shallots
1 tsp fennel seeds powdered
1 tsp jeera powder

Preparation
For the rice dumplings

Soak the rice in an open pan of hot water for 3-4 hours. Wash and drain
Add powdered fennel seeds, cumin seeds, grated coconut, chopped shallots and salt into the rice
Grind to get a very thick paste
Oil the palm of your hand. Pinch a small ball of 1 cm diameter from the paste
Make a light depression with your finger in the centre
Leave the ball on a plate or a banana leaf. When the paste is used up, steam the balls for 45 minutes. Remove and cool.

For the coconut paste

In a work, heat 1 tbsp oil
Add grated coconut, curry leaves, shallots, fennel seeds and turmeric
Stir well and roast till the coconut is brown. Remove and cool. Grind to a fine paste using a little water

For the mutton gravy

In a pressure cooker, add 1 tbsp ghee
Once it melts and heats up, add the cardamom, cinnamon and cloves
Throw in a few curry leaves
Add green chillies and onion
Saute well until the onion starts to turn a light brown
Add the tomatoe slices along with the ginger and garlic
To this, add the coriander powder, chilli powder, turmeric powder and powdered fennel seeds
Add the mutton to this mixture and saute well
Add enough salt
Pour in some water
Put the lid on the cooker
Once after the steam escapes, put the weight on the pressure cooker and let it cook for 15-20 minutes
Add the blended coconut to the cooked mutton gravy

To assemble the pidi and mutton

In another hard bottomed vessel, pour 1 tbsp oil
1 tbsp chopped shallots
Pour the mutton curry into the vessel
Add the steamed dumplings or pidi to this
If the mixture seems too thick, add a little water
The delicious Kakkarotti is ready to be served