Erisseri is also a traditional Kerala dish like Olan that is served in any festival or marriage sadya. The preparation is simple and effortless.

Yellow pumpkin can also be substituted with yam or raw banana. The texture of cooked vegetable and cowpeas along with coconut flavor and sauteed shallots is divine with steaming rice. Enjoy with rice, parippu curry or theeyal and some lime/mango pickle and make it a whole meal or just serve as a side dish to a bowl of rice and yogurt.

Recipe from Gayathri, a good cook who also happens to be our best friend.

Ingredients you’ll need:

3 cups Yellow Pumpkin, cut into big chunks
1/2 cup Red cow peas
Salt & Pepper – to taste

To grind:
2 Green chilies
1/2 cup coconut
1/2 tsp Cumin
1/2 tsp turmeric powder

For tempering:
2 tbsp Coconut oil
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
2 Red chilies
A few curry leaves
3 shallots

Preparation:

Cook cowpeas with salt in pressure cooker for 4 whistles or boil them in a heavy bottom pan till the beans are soft.

Once the beans are cooked, add yellow pumpkin, freshly ground pepper and salt. Cover the pan and cook the pumpkin till tender.

Gently mash the pumpkin with fork or spoon to a chunky consistency. Do not over mash the pumpkin. Its tastier when the pumpkin is chunky.

Grind together: green chili, cumin, coconut and turmeric with little water.

Add ground paste to pumpkin mixture. Cook for 4 to 5 mins, add little water if the curry is thick.

Tempering: In a small pan, heat coconut oil, add mustard seeds and as they crackle, add red chili, curry leaves and sliced shallots. Fry the shallots till aromatic and add to the curry.

Serve with hot steaming rice, Parippu curry, thoran or just with some pappadam or nendrenkai chips.