Kakka Irachi Fry | Kerala Style Clams Fry Recipe

Kakka irachi fry recipe with detailed photos and video.

Kakka irachi fry or Kerala kakka fry is a popular Kerala seafood recipe made with clams. This spicy and flavorful dish has so many variations, today's recipe is from my native. It is usually served in lunch. So let's talk about this crunchy and spicy Kerala clams fry recipe.

Kakka - About

Kakka stands for clams in Malayalam. It is a very common and most favorite seafood item of Kerala. Till the end of 90s, clams sellers in small boats were a part of the village life in Kerala. People buy fresh clams at their door steps as these sellers ride their small boats (which call vallam or vanchi ) through each and every small tributaries.

There are two variations of clams available in Kerala. One with yellow shell and other with black shell. The yellow clams are smaller in size and tastier than the black colored ones. For me, the yellow clams are the favorite and familiar one. It was easily accessible to us in my childhood. Don't know why, yellow clams are not as easily available as before.

In this recipe, I used black clams. We buy it from the online fish merchants. Even if we get the clams after removing its shell, there is a time consuming cleaning process. We have to remove its gut by picking and squeezing one by one. Cleaning is not an easy task actually, but it is compulsory. If we don't remove its gut, it may cause stomach disturbances. I have included the cleaning process in the following step by step section.

How to make clams fry - in brief

As I mentioned above, first step of clam fry preparation is always cleaning. The cleaned and thoroughly washed clams are shallow fried with onion and other spice over medium or low heat with intermittent stirring. When the clams turns crispy and crunchy, it will be seasoned with chili powder, coriander powder, etc. Do try this recipe, you will enjoy.

Kerala Kakka Irachi Fry - Tips

Kakka irachi or clams have to be cleaned thoroughly with enough water. Each time, wash and squeeze the meat with your hands and transfer to another bowl. The sand or dirt will settle at the bottom of the bowl while washing, discard water and clean the bowl each time.
Never pour water while cooking the clams. Water will oozes out of the clams itself.

Kerala Kakka fry - Serving options

Kerala kakka irachi fry is usually served with rice.

Kakka Fry Recipe | Kerala Kakka Irachi Fry Recipe | How To Make Kerala Style Clams Fry At home

Kerala Style Crispy clams fry

Preparation time: 15 minutes | Cooking time: 30 minutes | Total time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

500 grams clams
1 medium onion or 10 to 15 shallots
3 to 4 green chilies or to taste
5 to 6 garlic cloves1/2
2 springs curry leaves
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 teaspoon chili powder
2.5 teaspoon coriander powder
1/2 teaspoon pepper powder or pepper powder to taste
1 teaspoon coconut oil
Salt to taste
Coconut oil as needed

How To Make Kerala Kakka Irachi Thoran At Home - Video

Preparation of Kakka irachi fry with step by step photos

Step 1 : How to clean clams

Press gently and squeeze towards the black colored portion of each clam with your hands.
Remove the dirt and waste materials carefully.
Then wash thoroughly till you get rid of all the dirt and sand particles. Set aside.
Heat oil in a frying pan or wok. When the oil turns hot, put cumin seeds. If the oil is hot enough, then the cumin seeds will crackle immediately.
Once the crackling sounds stops, reduce the flame and put curry leaves.
Further put finely chopped green chilies and onion along with a few cloves of garlic.
Sauté till the onion turns soft.
Now you can add the clams, turmeric powder and salt to taste. Before adding the clams make sure, you have cleaned the clamps thoroughly and there is no dirt or sand left.
Mix well and cook over high flame with the lid on till the water ooze out from the clams. Then reduce the flame to medium or low and cook till the clams turn soft.
Once the clams turned soft, open the lid.
Cook till the clams turns crispy and crunchy. At this stage, the clams will be darker in color and shrink a bit. Pour one teaspoon vinegar or lemon juice.
Once the clams come to a desired crunchiness, you can dry roast the spices like coriander powder and chili powder.
Once the raw smell of spice vanishes, mix with the clams.
Finally put pepper powder to taste and mix well.
Delicious Kerala style clams fry is ready to serve. Enjoy with rice.