Arikadukka or Fried Stuffed Mussels- Malabar Recipe
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Author:
Recipe type: Appetiser
Cuisine: Indian
Serves: 15
Ingredients
  • Fresh Mussels, in shells- 15
For making Rice dough
  • Rice flour- 2½ cups
  • Coconut, grated- ¾ cup
  • Small onions or pearl onions, chopped- 4
  • Cumin seeds- 1 tsp
  • Ginger, chopped- 1 inch slice
  • Green chilies, chopped- 2
  • Curry leaves- 10 leaves
  • Fennel powder- 1 tsp
  • Coriander powder- 1½ tsp
  • Salt- to taste
  • Water- enough to make a soft dough
For making masala paste
  • Kashmiri red chili powder- 2 tbsp
  • Turmeric powder- ¼ tsp
  • Garam masala- ¾ tsp
  • Salt- a few pinches
  • Water- 3 to 4 tbsp
Other ingredients
  • Oil- enough for deep frying
Instructions
  1. If using fresh mussels in shells- first clean the shells under running water, place them in a saucepan filled with water and boil them till the shells are opened. Discard the shells that are not open.
  2. I used the mussels in half shells, so I didn't boil them. I removed the mussels from the shell and stuffed them with rice dough.
  3. In a blender, coarsely grind coconut, small onions, cumin seeds, ginger, green chilies, curry leaves, fennel powder and coriander powder along with ¼ cup water.
  4. In a large bowl, combine rice flour and salt. Add the ground coconut and knead the flour by adding hot water little by little. Knead into a soft dough and keep aside.
  5. If you are using mussels in the shell that's been steam cooked and opened- stuff a handful of rice dough into the shells.
  6. If using mussels in half shells- Remove the mussels from the half shell, cover the mussels with the rice dough, make sure the mussels are not fully inside the dough. Place the stuffed mussels onto the half shells.
  7. Steam cook the stuffed mussels for 5 minutes- you could either use idiyappam cooker to steam cook or a pressure cooker- pour ½ cup water into cooker, place the stuffed mussels on a steel plate, keep this inside the pressure cooker and steam cook.
  8. After steam cooking the mussels, let them cool down completely.
  9. Open the shells completely and remove the mussels stuffed with rice dough out of the shells. The mussels will be stuck onto the rice dough.
  10. Heat oil for deep frying in a frying pan.
  11. In a small bowl, combine Kashmiri chili powder, turmeric powder, garam masala, salt along with 3 tbsp water to a paste.
  12. When the oil turns hot, dip each steam cooked and stuffed mussel in the masala paste and coat evenly.
  13. Place it in the oil and deep fry till it turns golden brown in color.
  14. Transfer to a kitchen paper towel and let absorb the excess oil.
  15. When the fried stuffed mussels have cooled down a bit, serve along with tea and enjoy this Malabar delicacy.
Notes
If you only have the mussel meat- without shells- Cover the mussels with the rice dough (don't place the mussels fully into the dough, it should be partially visible), steam cook them, dip them in masala paste and then deep fry.
Recipe by Cooking with Thas - Wholesome Homemade Recipes at https://thasneen.com/cooking/arikadukka-or-fried-stuffed-mussels-malabar-recipe/