Mathanga Vanpayar Erissery

Pumpkin Erissery / Mathanga Erissery is a traditional recipe of Kerala, the God’s Own Country, which makes a prominent name in a banana leaf feast menu. Though Erissery is not in the binding menu list of wedding feasts, onam or vishu feasts, since it is overtaken these days, by the Koottu Curry in our area, but this is an inevitable item in the menu list of some other functional banana leaf sadyas.)

Ingredients

Yellow Pumpkin – 250 gms

Red Cow Peas (Van Payar) – ½ cup

Coconut oil – ¼ cup

Curry Leaf – 2-3 stalks

Dry Red Chilly – 2

Mustard seeds – 2 tsp

Grated Coconut (for frying) – 1 cup

Grated Coconut (for grinding) – ½ cup

Cumin powder – ½ tsp

Turmeric powder – ½ tsp

Chilly powder – 1 tsp

Pepper powder – ¼ tsp

Salt – to taste

Method of preparation

Into a pressure cooker, goes the vanpayar (washed and soaked overnight), and cook until soft, by adding 1 ½ glass of water, for 2 whistles on medium flame.

Grind the grated coconut for grinding, along with the jeera and ½ glass of water to a coarse paste.
Into another pan add the pumpkin pieces, chilly powder, turmeric powder pepper powder, salt and 1 ½ glass of water and mix well. Cook with lid for 15 minutes on medium heat until soft cooked. Open the lid, into which goes the cooked peas and the remaining water and mix well with the ladle. Once the gravy boils, add the ground coconut paste and mix well and wait for 5-7 minutes until the gravy is reduced as desired. Now switch off the flame, keeping in mind that the gravy may get thickened after removing from the stove.

Into the pan goes 4-5 tbsp of coconut oil. Once hot, add the mustard seeds to splutter. Add the curry leaves, followed by the grated coconut and fry until the coconut turns into golden brown in colour. Now pour the hot mixture over the prepared Erissery and close with a lid for 10-15 minutes until the flavour of the garnish is well infused into the Erissery, before you serve.

Enjoy the Yummy Erissery !!