Mathenga Erissery is one of the traditional recipes of Kerala, South India. It is made with a combination of vegetables and pulses using ground coconut paste and finally seasoned with roasted coconut. This dish is a merger between the sweetness of pumpkin and coconut. It takes your taste buds to another level. From south to north of India you can find a lot of variety recipes for preparing an erissery. You can make erissery using yam, raw banana, raw papaya, jackfruit etc. Prepare the erissery using coconut oil, if you want the authentic Kerala taste. If the pumpkin is not ripe then you can add half teaspoon of sugar. The consistency of the dish should be reasonably thick and not watery.
Mathenga Erissery is a good accompaniment with Kerala rice and pappadams. Try it and I am sure you will like it. Enjoy!
Ingredients
- 1 cup Yellow Pumpkin /Mathenga, diced
- ½ cup Red oriental beans/Van payar
- ¼ tsp. Turmeric powder
- ½ tsp. Red Chilli powder
- Salt, to taste
To Grind:
- 1-2 Small Onion /Shallots
- 3-4 nos. Green Chillies
- ½ cup Coconut, grated
- ½ tsp. Cumin Seeds
- ¼ tsp. Black Pepper
To Temper:
- 2 nos. Dry Red Chillies
- 4 tbsps. Grated Coconut
- 1 sprig, Curry leaves
- 1 tsp. Mustard seeds
- 2 tsps. Coconut Oil
Method
- Soak red beans overnight; pressure cook the beans with enough water, red chilly powder, turmeric powder and salt for 4-5 whistles. After the pressure settles open the cooker.
- Add the pumpkin piece and cook uncovered till the pumpkin turns to soft and tender; when the pumpkin and beans is cooked slightly mash the pumpkin pieces.
- Grind grated coconut, black pepper, cumin seeds, green chillies and small onions with little water to coarse smooth paste. The paste should not be watery, it should be of chutney consistency.
- Add this ground coconut paste and mix thoroughly with cooked and mashed pumpkin and red beans.
- Heat a teaspoon of oil in a pan, add mustard seeds. When it starts to splutter, add dry red chillies, grated coconut and curry leaves and fry till they turn golden brown. Be sure not to burn it.
- Pour this tempering and drizzle half teaspoon of coconut oil over the gravy, mix well and adjust the salt.
- Serve with hot Kerala rice and pappadam. Enjoy!