Recipe for arikkadukka

[rameshxavier]

Ingredients

25 - 30 - Medium size mussels


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

For masala,

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

Method

* 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.

* 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.

* 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.

* 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.

* 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.
* 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.