Pumpkin Erissery/ Mathanga Erissery/ Poosanikka Erissery

Pumpkin Erissery/ Mathanga Erissery/ Poosanikka Erissery

We started our life in the Sea of Paradise – famous for fish. But I wonder how my better half survived as a veggie. Thrilled to find even the short eats are in fish! I was sure that there must be veggies. I went to the market with my friend – with broken Dhivehi she managed to purchase veggies. I found BIG... Pumpkins... finally we convinced the seller to get a medium one. With a smirk on his face, he got us one. Immediately called amma to clarify what is missing. Remember she used to temper with grated coconut attracts everyone to the bowl. Made the erissery and it was treated with an applause. Later huby learned to say “mee pumpkin benu” to the seller for his traditional erissery.

Ingredients:

Pumpkin – 2 cup (cut into cubes)

Green gram – a handful (instead you can use soaked chick peas)

Water – to cook

Salt – for taste

Oil – to fry

To grind:

Coconut grated – 2 cups (medium)

Chilli powder – 2 tsp

Turmeric powder – ½ tsp

Cumin seeds/ jeera – 1 tsp

Garlic – 2-3 nos

To temper:

Coconut oil – 2 tbsp

Urad dal – 1 tbsp

Coconut grated – 1 tbsp

Mustard – 1 tsp

Dry red chillies – 1

Curry leaves – a sprig

Method:

Pressure cook for 2 whistles green gram/ chick peas with water and salt. Add chopped pumpkin/mathanga and pressure cook for 1 whistle. Cook well – not to mash it. Keep aside. Grind the items included in the ‘to grind’ list with ¼ cup of water. Mix the grinded mixture to the cooked mathanga/ pumpkin and heat on low flame for few minutes. Add salt if required. Heat oil in a pan and fry the urad dal – when it turns light brown add grated coconut toss well with your ladle. Now move the fried items to the sides of your pan. Add few drops of oil to crackle the mustard and red chilli with curry leaves. Mix together the fried items. Ummmm!!! You get the aroma! Wait! Pour this on the erissery. Close the erissery pot with a lid which amma says “aroma stays till the last spoon of erissery”. Enjoy your thala Onam with this erissery!

Note:

• You can use chick peas instead of green gram. This is used to increase the thickness of erissery.
• You can also make erissery with vazha kaya (raw banana), Chena (elephant yam) and papaya in the same way. For vazha kaya and chena you can reduce the amount of chick peas/ green gram.