Not just porotta but Merinda makes the perfect kappa and beef

Merinda, a college student who also works in her mother's thattukada (wayside eatery) has been a star on the social media since the last few days. Just like her inspirational life story, Merinda’s cooking skills too is impressive.

Each dish at the thattukada which is closer to their house at Chelakkara in Thrissur is incredible. Unlike the posh hotels, this quaint eatery doesn’t have a multi - page menu. Local and traditional dishes like porotta, kappa (tapioca) and beef, omelet, koth porotta ( shredded porortta), tea time snacks, tea and coffee are some of the popular items here. The eatery becomes abuzz with customers in the evenings. Most of their regular customers are the common people who come to enjoy Merinda and her mother's delicious food.

Like every other thattukada, hot and flaky porotta is very much in demand here as well. However, it is their evergreen combination of boiled tapioca and beef that draws customers. A glass of hot black tea would complete this perfect meal.

The beef roast is spiced up with generous amount of coriander and fresh pepper. The chenda kappa (boiled tapioca chunks) and the bird eye chilli chutney would make it a scrumptious meal. After making the porottas, Merinda would be busy cooking the tapioca and beef at the thattukada.

Meanwhile, her mother Ammini makes the tea time snacks and the kothu porotta as well. They sell at least 12 varieties of snacks including uzhunnu vada (urad dal vada), dal vada, banana fritters, onion fritters and sukhiyan (fried snack with green gram filling). Many foodies who love enjoying the authentic taste of the local dishes come here to try out Merinda’s kappa and beef and her mother’s special snacks.