Kerala Pumpkin Erissery 

Pumpkin erisseri - a mild and tempered curry with light sweet tones made with pumpkin, cowpeas & coconut. A kerala traditional dish served during onam sadya.

INGREDIENTS

Main ingredients:

·         200-250 gms pumpkin/kaddu - approx 1.5 to 2 cups peeled & chopped pumpkin

·         ½ cup white cowpeas or red cowpeas

·         ¼ tsp turmeric powder

·         ¼ tsp red chili powder (optional)

·         salt as required

 For the coconut paste:

        ·         ¾ cup grated coconut, fresh or frozen

        ·         ½ tsp cumin seeds

        ·         1 green chili

For tempering:

        ·         12-15 curry leaves

        ·         ½ to ¾ tsp mustard seeds

        ·         1-2 dry red chilies, kept whole or broken & deseeded

        ·         2-3 tbsp grated coconut, fresh or frozen

·         1 or 1.5 tbsp coconut oil or any vegetable oil

INSTRUCTIONS

1.  rinse the cowpeas well in water.

2.  pressure cook them with 2 or 2.5 cups water with some salt till they are cooked completely.

3.  drain and keep aside.

4.  rinse the pumpkin & peel and chop into cubes.

5.  take the pumpkin cubes and 1 cup water in a pan.

6.  add turmeric powder, red chili powder and salt.

7.  cover the pan and cook the pumpkin for 12-15 minutes or more on a low flame till they are cooked.

8.  check the pumpkin a few times when they are cooking, to see if the water has not dried up. if the water dries up, then add some more water and continue to cook.

9.  when the pumpkin is cooking, take the grated coconut, green chili and cumin in a grinder jar.

10.  add ½ cup water and grind to a smooth paste.

11.  add this coconut paste to the pumpkins.

12.  also add the cooked cowpeas.

13.  add ½ cup water or more if the consistency looks thick.

14.  stir well and place the pan on fire and simmer for 10-12 minutes or more till the flavors are well blended.

15.  if the curry becomes thick, add some more water.

16.  when done cover with a lid and keep aside.

17.  in a small pan, heat coconut oil.

18.  crackle the mustard seeds first.

19.  then add the curry leaves and the red chilies.

20.  fry till the curry leaves start to become crisp and the color of the red chilies change.

21.  add the coconut and saute till the coconut becomes golden.

22.  the fresh coconut gratings absorb all the oil.

23.  so keep on stirring and saute on a low flame, so that the coconut does not get burnt and there is even browning.

24.  pour this whole tempering mixture into the pumpkin erissery.

25.  stir and serve pumpkin erissery hot with some steamed rice.

Keyword: Pumpkin erissery tastes best with steamed rice. you can also serve it along with sambar and rice.

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