Sadya is a whole class of dishes that are served to the gods for an auspicious beginning to the year during the festival of Onam in Kerala. But there is something about the dishes served during this new year feast that is perennial. The dishes are vegetarian, nutritious, simply prepared and singing with the flavours of seasonal ingredients. No wonder then that people from Kerala consume these dishes throughout the year and not just on the first day of the year. One of these outstanding dishes is Mathanga Erissery.
For those who don’t know, Erissery (pronounced as Ellisherri) is a type of curry cooked across Keralan homes. Traditionally, Erissery is a mix vegetable dish that combines vegetables, legumes, coconut and a lip-smacking tempering. Erissery is always served as a part of Onam Sadya, but it is also consumed for lunch with rice during the entire year. Mathanga Erissery is a version of this dish that celebrates pumpkins at their golden best. Mathanga literally means yellow pumpkin in Malayalam.
This Mathanga Erissery is the perfect dish for summers. This is primarily because the dish has no onion and no garlic, making it a dish that soothes and detoxifies the body instead of generating more heat. Moreover, Mathanga Erissery is made with the mildest of spices and is naturally sweet and delicious. The thick curry is made with a paste of coconut, green chillies and cumin seeds while the tempering is made with mustard seeds, curry leaves and coconut oil. In fact, the tempering is the only place where any oil is added to the dish.
Clearly then, Mathanga Erissery is a light and refreshing curry that can not only keep your body nourished during the summer months but also help with keeping your weight in check and gut health in order during the summer months. Here is the simple Mathanga Erissery recipe you can try for lunch.
Ingredients:
2 cups pumpkin, peeled and chopped
½ cup black eyed peas, boiled with salt
½ tsp turmeric powder
½ tsp red chilli powder
Salt, to taste
Water, as required
¾ cup fresh coconut
½ tsp cumin seeds
1 green chilli
1 tsp coconut oil
½ tsp mustard seeds
2 sprigs curry leaves
2 dry red chillies
2 tbsp coconut, grated
Method:
1. Place the coconut, cumin seeds and green chilli in a mixer jar and add some water.
2. Grind everything into a fine paste.
3. Place some water in a wok and add the pumpkin cubes. Make sure the pumpkins are properly covered in water.
4. Add turmeric powder, red chilli powder and salt.
5. Mix well, cover the wok and cook until the pumpkins are tender.
6. Now add the coconut paste, mix well and then add the boiled black eyed peas.
7. Add some water if the Erissery looks too thick.
8. Cook on a low heat for 10 minutes until all the ingredients are properly blended.
9. Adjust the salt and set the Erissery aside once cooked. The consistency of the final Mathanga Erissery should be thick.
10. To make the tempering, heat the coconut oil in a small pan.
11. Add the mustard seeds, curry leaves and dry red chillies.
12. Once they stop spluttering, add the grated coconut and cook until the coconut turns golden.
13. Pour the tempering over the Mathanga Erissery and serve the dish hot with steamed rice.