Mom's kappa irachi (tapioca and beef)

As a child, I was a fussy eater. My dislike for food used to give my parents stressful times. Strong memories are associated with our large food-centered dining table where Dad sits with a cane and me like a prisoner chewing on food reluctantly. I used to provoke my Dad by showing all sorts of pranks when food is served.

So daily drama goes on and was something like this ....... First - Dad's voice of encouragement saying me to eat, eat ..... Second - a harsh voice of frustration when I am not having food, then provocation sets in leading to the clean utilization of cane, and me exploding into tears.

I don't know how much punishment I have got as a child in terms of being a picky eater.  

My Mom was very unhappy about the daily drama around the dining.

Sundays were different  for me; that was the day when kappa irachi is cooked in our house.

The smell of the masalas are so tempting when it is cooked, that I become one impatient child taking turns in the kitchen to see if it is ready. I used to have it happily for lunch, teatime, and dinner. So Sunday is the day when the picky eater in me graduates to a hungry monster. Nobody other than Appappa (grandpa) shares my love for tapioca in our house.

Abbey has inherited my love for tapioca at this tender age and gorges herself on it. Lately, this has become an excuse to make this often.

Ingredients
Frozen tapioca/kappa - 1 kg
Beef - 1/2 kg
Green chilli - 3 nos
Ginger - 1 inch piece
Garlic - 6 nos
Onion - 1 no
Chilli powder - 2 tsp
Pepper powder - 1/2 tsp
Meat masala - 2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Salt
Curry leaves
Oil

Directions

Cook beef with turmeric powder and salt till it is well done. Keep them aside.

In a pressure cooker, saute ginger, garlic, green chillies, curry leaves, onions, and salt. Add chilli powder, pepper powder, and meat masala. Fry them for a minute and add frozen tapioca, half of the cooked beef along with the stock, which we have set aside (reserve other half for later use). Cook till 2 whistles or until it is done. Open the pressure cooker, and throw in the reserved beef pieces. Reduce the gravy nicely and serve hot. Alternatively, keep the gravy if you want to use it as a curry.