Mathanga Erissery/Pumpkin Curry with Grated Coconut

The most common vegetable to make erissery is pumpkin and it is a well known and loved curry all over Kerala. And I (read it, my family) love this dish too and end up making it very often. Back home sometimes my mum cooks the pumpkin along with other legumes to produce the same curry. The pleasant sweetness of the pumpkin combined with the freshly grated coconut is definitely a treat to one's palate.

Today's recipe is my Mom's. When it comes to festive dishes or day to day dishes, my mum is always a great cook. She always took a lot of trouble cooking dishes we all liked and the food always paid off for all the trouble. And I think, one of the reasons she always experimented with new dishes and food was that my dad, sister and I constantly appreciated her cooking skills. (we still do!)...What do you say, Ma? Right or not?!! :)

So here is a recipe from a great cook, a great friend and the world's bestest mom....Love you, Ma. This one's for you.

Ingredients

Pumpkin/Mathanga - 1/4 kg (cut into small cubes)

Tuvar Dal - 1/4 cup

Water - 3/4 cup

Green chillies - 1 to 2

Turmeric powder - a pinch

Salt - to taste

For Grinding

Coconut (Grated) - 3/4 cup

Jeera - 1/4 tsp

Shallots/Small/Pearl onions - 6 to 8

Garlic - 3 to 4 cloves

Curry leaves

For Seasoning

Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp

Coconut (grated) - 1 1/2 tbsp

Red chilli/Vattal Mulagu - 1

Curry leaves

Method

Cook the pumpkin/mathanga and tuvar dal with green chillies, curry leaves and salt in a pressure cooker. Once cooked, switch off the flame, mash this mixture well till smooth and transfer to another vessel.

Grind together grated coconut, jeera, shallots/small/pearl onions, garlic and curry leaves. Add the ground mixture into the pumpkin/mathanga curry and place this back on the stove and continuously stir it. Let it cook on a high flame for a few seconds and then turn the flame to low and stir till steam comes. (5 to 7 minutes approx) Now switch off the flame.

Heat oil in a wok and splutter mustard seeds. Add grated coconut, red chilli/vattal mulagu and curry leaves and saut'e till coconut turns light brown. Add this mixture to the curry and stir well.

Source: Mom