This is just to make a copy of this recipe I found on http://beyondcurries.blogspot.in. Because it is something which can be made for everyday meals I wouldn't want to lose this. A new way of making red pumpkin. Reminds me of some vegetable dishes I had tasted in Coorg.
Called as Mathan Erissery, this recipe is a speciality of Tamil residents in Pallakkad, Kerala. "It is not an everyday dish owing to the rich coconut gravy but occupies a special place as it is generally served during important occasions like 'Vishu' (Kerala New Year) or household ceremonies".
Ingredients:
2 cups Red Pumpkin, diced into 1.5 cm cubes
About 2 cups of Water
¼ tsp Turmeric powder
Salt to taste
Ground to smooth paste:
½ cup Coconut, freshly scraped
1 tsp Jeera/Cumin Seeds
2 Dry Red Chillies (or more as per taste)
½ cup Water
Tadka/Tempering:
1 tbsp Coconut, freshly scraped
1 tsp + 1 tsp Coconut Oil
1 spring Curry Leaves
1 tsp Mustard Seeds
1 tsp Dehusked Split Black Gram Dal/Urad Dal
Special Notes/Tips:
Called as Mathan Erissery, this recipe is a speciality of Tamil residents in Pallakkad, Kerala. "It is not an everyday dish owing to the rich coconut gravy but occupies a special place as it is generally served during important occasions like 'Vishu' (Kerala New Year) or household ceremonies".
Ingredients:
2 cups Red Pumpkin, diced into 1.5 cm cubes
About 2 cups of Water
¼ tsp Turmeric powder
Salt to taste
Ground to smooth paste:
½ cup Coconut, freshly scraped
1 tsp Jeera/Cumin Seeds
2 Dry Red Chillies (or more as per taste)
½ cup Water
Tadka/Tempering:
1 tbsp Coconut, freshly scraped
1 tsp + 1 tsp Coconut Oil
1 spring Curry Leaves
1 tsp Mustard Seeds
1 tsp Dehusked Split Black Gram Dal/Urad Dal
Preparation:
- Cook the red pumpkin in enough water to cover it alongwith half the salt and turmeric powder till cooked through but firm in shape.
- While the pumpkin is cooking prepare the coconut paste. Grind the coconut, cumin seeds and red chillies adding water little by little to chutney consistency (fairly smooth paste). The paste should not be watery.
- When the pumpkin is cooked through stir with a ladle so that the pumpkins mix with the water, and some of them break into pieces. Add the ground paste and bring to a boil. Stir so that the gravy and the vegetables come together rather than remain separate.
- Heat a seasoning wok with a drop of coconut oil. Add the coconut kept for tempering and roast till golden. Scrape the roasted coconut into the prepared gravy. Clean out the wok and heat 1tsp. of the oil. When hot add the mustard seeds. When they splutter add the urad dal and fry till pink. Add the curry leaves and when it crackles pour the seasoning into the gravy. Drizzle the other tsp. of raw coconut oil over the gravy. Mix well and adjust the salt.
Serving Suggestion:
- Take a ladle of rice. If not vegan, drizzle a tsp. of ghee over the rice. Top with a ladle of erissery (or more as it is pretty irrestible!). Mix, take in the aroma, savour and enjoy:)! Erissery is best accompanied by appalams or pappadams (Rice and lentil fritters)
Special Notes/Tips:
- ¼th cup of cooked pigeon peas (arhar/tuvar dal) may be added to the cooked pumpkins but this is optional and used when one runs short of the vegetable.
- Erissery is a Kerala speciality and is prepared with minor variations from region to region. The recipe above is essentially how Palakkad Iyers prepare the dish. However one many add a few sambar onions to the paste or a fistful of cooked black eyed peas to the pumpkins for variation.
- Do not forget the raw coconut oil in the end. It adds quite a punch!
