Mathenga Vanpayar Erissery

Just done with Onam shopping. The crowd at Lulu, here in Dubai was beyond compare. Brands - Nirapara, Eastern, Brahmins, Double Horse setting up their own counters with special Onam discounts and goodies. Phew!! That was one hell of a time wading through alleys with the pushcart avoiding getting hit and making sure you don't hit anyone. I guess that is the joy of this festival.

Onam is that festival that brings together malayalees irrespective of religion. Onakkodi, Pookalam, Payasam, Sadya and all malayalees together whether in India or outside - that is Onam.

Today's post is my mother - in - laws recipe. A dish that I really love - Erissery made with mathenga and vanpayar.

Here is the recipe -

Ingredients

Onion - 1 small sliced
Garlic - 2 pods sliced lengthwise
Green Chilly - 2-3
Coconut - 1 cup grated
Jeera/ Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Mathenga/ Pumpkin - 1/4 kg diced
Vanpayar - a handful
salt to taste

For tempering

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Shallots - 2 sliced
Grated coconut - 2 tsp
Red chilly powder - 1/2 tsp
Curry Leaf - 1 sprig

Method

Pressure cook vanpayar with a little salt and keep it aside.

Toss in mathenga, onion, garlic and green chilly into a heavy bottomed pan. Add sufficient amount of water and bring it to boil on high flame. Reduce the flame and let it simmer till the mathenga is cooked. Mash this with a spoon to form a paste.

Wet grind the grated coconut, cumin seeds and turmeric powder and add this to the mashed gravy. Pour in water if necessary and let it cook for another 10 minutes.

Add vanpayar and season it with sufficient salt.

In a skillet heat coconut oil - toss in the mustard seeds and let it splutter. Add shallots and grated coconut and fry till the color changes to brown. Add the chilly powder and curry leaves and pour over the erissery.

Serve over rice with a dash of ghee for Onam.

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