Vanpayar Mathanga Erissery | Pumpkin Erissery - Kerala Sadya Recipe
Mathanga Erissery or Pumpkin Erissery is a traditional Kerala style curry recipe that is made for festive occasions or Sadya meals during Vishu and Onam Festival. This Gluten free, No Onion No Garlic, Vegan curry is made with pumpkin, vanpayar or red cow peas in a coconut gravy and served as side dish.
Servings 4 people
Ingredients
1 cup is 250 ml, 1 tablespoon is 15ml and 1 tsp is 5ml measurement
- 500 gms Mathanga (Pumpkin)
- ½ cup Vanpayar (Red Cow Peas)
- ½ tsp Turmeric Powder
- Salt to taste
For the Coconut Gravy
- ½ cup Grated coconut tightly packed cup
- 2 tsp Jeera or Cumin Seeds
- 1 no Whole dry Kashmiri red chilli
- 2-3 nos Green Chillies
For Tempering
- 1 tbsp Coconut Oil
- 2 tbsp Grated Coconut
- ½ tsp Mustard Seeds
- 2-3 nos Whole dry red chillies
- Curry leaves as required
Instructions
- Wash and soak Red Cow Peas or vanpayar for atleast 5 to 6 hours or overnight. Drain the water used for soaking, refill with fresh water and pressure cook the beans and keep aside.
- Peel and dice the pumpkin into thick chunks (as seen in right side pic)
- Cook the pumpkin using 1/2 cup of water along with salt and turmeric powder
- Using the back of your spoon or ladle, press or mash the cooked pieces of pumpkin. We do not want big chunks of pumpkin for this curry.
- To the cooked pumpkin add the red cow peas and the coconut gravy.
- Mix well, check and add salt to taste. Switch off the flame and prepare for tempering.
- Heat a pan, add coconut oil, mustard seeds. Once they crackle add whole dry red chillies and curry leaves. Now add the grated coconut, reduce the heat and saute until the coconut has turned brown.
- Be careful not to burn the coconut. Once the coconut is roasted, add the tempering to the pumpkin mixture. Mix well and serve.
Notes
- Always cook the mathanga or pumpkin on stove top. Do not pressure cook. Texture of the vegetable is the key.
- Mash the mathanga lightly, once cooked so that it naturally thickens the curry. Do not leave big chunks of the pumpkin in the curry.
- Using fresh coconut is highly recommended.
- Use Coconut Oil for authentic taste and flavor.
- I prefer soaking all beans overnight. They cook faster and are easier to digest. I do not use the water used for soaking the beans. I do use the residual water after cooking the beans.
- It took me 4 whistles to cook red cow peas in a pressure cooker. Drain the cooking water and use it later for adjusting the consistency of the curry.
- The recipe is Gluten Free and Vegan.