Shellfish dishes are quite common in the coastal and Malabar region. And because of its unique taste, it’s loved by all. There are different varieties of shellfish and different delicacies prepared.
Kube Mutli or pundi Marwai, a dish in which rice dumplings are made and added to the curry. Shells are most of the time cooked with vegetables like spinach, raw papaya, pumpkin etc.
Kube Bhakri Recipe
The recipe that I have shared is a combination of rice Bakri with the shell curry, which is called Kube Bhakri in Konkani and Rotti Marwai in Tulu. Daat Bakri or thick Bakri which is a traditional dish which was cooked on cast iron Tawas placed on charcoal stoves and Bakris placed on a banana leaf and then placed over the Tawa which my grandma used to do. The modular kitchens have simplified this process.
The masala to this curry may vary from person to person.
Before I got married I knew only about Kube Mutli. After my marriage, it was my sister-in-law who told me about Kube Bakri. This dish was new to me. The masala used in my house was different but here they used to make it the way chicken curry is cooked.
Also read about,
Malabar Spinach Curry with Raw Papaya and Clams/Kube
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Kube Bhakri / Rotti Marvai
Course: MainCuisine: MangaloreanDifficulty: Difficult8
servings1
hour30
minutes1
hour30
minutesKube is clams and bhakri is a thick rice rotis with coconut. The Kube bhakri is a semi thick curry of clams and the bhakris dipped and cooked in it. A delicious Mangalorean dish.
Ingredients
- 1.5 Kg Kube / Clams
- Ingredients for Bhakri
3 cups boiled rice, you can also use parboiled/Idli rice
1 cup grated coconut
Salt to taste
Banana leaves
- Ingredients for masala grinding
2 tbsp coriander
1 tsp Jeera
1/2 tsp pepper
4 cloves
2small pieces cinnamon
1 cardamom
2 onions
6 clove garlic
Lemon size tamarind
1 small coconut +1 coconut for thick and thin milk
1 tsp poppy seeds
12 red chillies
- Ingredients for the final seasoning
2 onions
3 tomatoes
5 sprigs curry leaves
1/2 bunch Coriander leaves
Directions
- Making Bhakris first
- Soak the rice overnight and grind it along with salt and grated coconut. Do not make a fine batter. Do not add excess water while grinding. The batter should be thick.
- Clean the banana leaf. Place a big ball of rice batter and Pat it to form thick round rotis on the banana leaf.
- Take a Tawa and keep it in medium flame. when the Tawa is hot place the bhakri along with the banana leaf at the bottom. Also, place a banana leaf on the top.
- It takes a long time to cook each side. After five minutes turn over to another side. Remove the banana leaf in the top and turn over once again.
- Similarly, make as many bhakris possible from the batter.
- Cut these bhakris into medium pieces and keep it aside.
- For the shells or Clams
- Clean the cockles thoroughly 5 to 6 times as sometimes it contains a lot of sand.
- Cut the cockles using a knife. And discard part of the shell that doesn’t contain meat.
- Add salt and boil it. Keep aside
- For the Masala
- Heat 2 Tblsp of oil and fry red chillies. Keep it aside.
- Add coriander and pepper after a minute.
- Add jeera, cinnamon, cardamom and cloves. Keep aside with the red chillies.
- Take about 2 Tblsp of oil fry onions and garlic till brown.
- Add grated coconut and keep stirring it for a minute. When you’re about to take it, add poppy seeds mix it well and fry for a minute.
- Take a coconut and extract thick and thin coconut milk.
- Grind the fried masala to a fine paste. Add thin coconut milk while grinding. Once the masala is ready, keep it aside.
- Final cooking & seasoning
- Heat 4 Tblsp ghee fry 2 chopped onions for a while and add curry leaves, tomatoes.
- When the tomatoes turn soft add the ground masala paste.
- Add if any thin coconut milk and water left after cleaning the grinder.
- When the masala comes to a good boil add Kube / clams and mix it well. See that the curry is very thin in consistency since it will get thicker once you add Bhakris.
- Add salt as per taste
- Once the curry starts boiling add the cut Bakris to the curry.
- Cook for some time add thick Coconut milk cook for another minute and finally garnish with coriander leaves.
