How much cooking time?

50 min — 25 min prep, 25 min cooking.

Kallummakaya Curry (Lakshadweep Mussel-Coconut Curry)

Name: Kallummakaya Curry (Lakshadweep Mussel-Coconut Curry)
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Lakshadweep Indian
Ingredients: 200g coconut milk; 5g coriander; 6g green chillies; 100g tomato ripe; 80g Fresh Coconut; 50g Raw Mango; 1g turmeric root; 5g salt; 4g coriander powder; 500g Mussels; 4g red chilli; 2g Cumin Seeds; 2g Curry Leaves; 1g Mustard Seeds (Black); 1g methi seeds; 80g Shallots; 25g Sunflower Oil

Authentic Lakshadweep mussel curry — fresh mussels (kallummakaya/kadukka) simmered in a coconut-shallot-cumin masala with mustard-fenugreek tempering, raw mango, green chilli, and curry leaves. Coconut milk finish. The Lakshadweep version is a Kerala-Mappila preparation served with steamed rice or appam. Distinct from Konkan mussel curry — this version uses RAW MANGO for tang and is heavily coconut-milk-based.

Time 50 min · Serves 4 · 457 kcal · Lakshadweep

Ingredients

Finish

coconut milk — 200 g (liquid)
coriander — 5 g (chopped)

Main

green chillies — 6 g (slit)
tomato ripe — 100 g (chopped)
Fresh Coconut — 80 g (ground to paste)
Raw Mango — 50 g (peeled and sliced)
turmeric root — 1 g (powder)
salt — 5 g (none)
coriander powder — 4 g (powder)
Mussels — 500 g (cleaned and debearded)
red chilli — 4 g (powder)
Cumin Seeds — 2 g (whole)

Tempering

Curry Leaves — 2 g (whole)
Mustard Seeds (Black) — 1 g (whole)
methi seeds — 1 g (whole)
Shallots — 80 g (finely chopped)
Sunflower Oil — 25 g (heated)

Method

Clean mussels thoroughly: scrub shells under running water, pull off any 'beards' (fibrous threads). Discard any mussels with cracked shells or that don't close when tapped. Steam OR boil mussels in salted water 3-4 minutes until shells open. Discard any that don't open. Remove the meat (and any half-shell with meat for presentation).
Make the masala paste: blend grated coconut, 4 of the shallots, and cumin seeds with 2 tbsp water into a smooth paste.
Heat oil in a clay pot or heavy pan on medium. Add mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds. Let mustard pop (10-15 sec).
Add the remaining chopped shallots. Sauté 4-5 minutes until golden-brown.
Add chopped tomato, slit green chillies, raw mango slices, and curry leaves. Stir-fry 4-5 minutes until tomato breaks down.
Add the cleaned mussel meat (with reserved cooking liquid, ~1/2 cup), turmeric, red chilli powder, coriander powder, salt. Stir gently to coat the mussels with masala.
Add the coconut paste and 1/2 cup water. Bring to a gentle simmer (don't rolling-boil). Cook 8-10 minutes on low-medium until gravy thickens slightly.
Pour in coconut milk. Stir gently and warm through 2-3 minutes — DO NOT boil after coconut milk is added (it can split).
Switch off heat. Garnish with chopped fresh coriander. Serve hot with steamed rice or appam.

Common questions

How many calories in one plate of Kallummakaya Curry (Lakshadweep Mussel-Coconut Curry)?: 457 kcal per plate.
How much cooking time?: 50 min — 25 min prep, 25 min cooking.