Veg Recipes

Erissery With Pumpkin and Black-Eyed Peas

 

Erissery With Pumpkin and Black-Eyed Peas

Erissery, also known as Mathanga Erissery, is a flavourful traditional dish from Kerala, typically prepared with yellow pumpkin and black-eyed peas.
This comforting and aromatic dish, with its creamy coconut base and fragrant tempering, is a staple part of the sadya (feast) served during festive occasions like Onam and Vishu.
A harmony of flavours and textures
The beauty of Erissery lies in its harmonious blend of flavours and textures.
The mild curry combines the sweetness of pumpkin with the earthy notes of black-eyes peas, all simmered in a coconut-based gravy. It is garnished with seasoned spices in fragrant coconut oil and crunchy golden-brown roasted coconut, creating a delightful balance of sweet and mildly spicy notes. Beyond the festive table, the comforting Erissery is a wonderfully simple and healthy meal for any day of the week.
A Wholesome dish
Erissery is not only delicious but is also nutritious, thanks to its wholesome ingredients. Pumpkin, a low-calorie vegetable, is rich in potassium and fiber, and black-eyed peas, a legume, are a good source of protein, fiber, and essential nutrients such as folate and iron.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Indian, Kerala Cuisine, south indian cuisine
Servings 4 people

Equipment

  • 1 Pressure Cooker
  • 1 Tadka pan (seasoning pan)

Ingredients
  

  • 250 gms Yellow pumpkin (deseeded, diced)
  • ½ cup Black-eyed peas (soaked overnight)
  • ½ tsp Turmeric powder
  • 1 tsp Red chilli powder

For Grinding

  • 3 tbsps Coconut shredded
  • 3 nos. Green chillies
  • ½ tsp Cumin seeds

For Seasoning

  • 1 tbsp Coconut oil
  • ¼ tsp Mustard seeds
  • 2 nos. Dry red chillies
  • 10-14 nos. Curry leaves
  • 2 tbsp Fresh shredded coconut
  • 1 tsp Salt (as per taste)

Instructions
 

  • Wash soaked black-eyed peas and pressure cook for 4 to 5 whistles. In the same cooker, add diced yellow pumpkin pieces and salt.
  • Add turmeric and chilli powder. Do not add water, as the pumpkin leaves water while cooking.
  • Pressure cook for 1 whistle. Open the cooker, mash the pumpkin lightly with a spatula.

Grind the following ingredients

  • Grind 3 tablespoons of coconut, green chillies, and cumin seeds with very little water to a coarse paste. Set aside.
  • Mix the coconut paste into the cooked pumpkin and black-eyes peas mixture. Mix well and let it simmer on medium flame.

Seasoning

  • Heat the coconut oil in a seasoning pan. When it is hot, add mustard seeds to crackle.
    Add dry red chillies and curry leaves and fry. Add in the freshly shredded/grated coconut and fry till it is golden brown. Switch off the stove.

Tempering

  • Add the tempering to the pumpkin mixture and mix.
    Adding the golden brown, tempered grated coconut towards the end is vital to enhance the flavor of the dish. The essence of the Erissery lies in this crucial step!

Notes

Tips/Notes for the perfect Erissery
Soaking the black-eyed peas overnight is recommended to ensure they cook evenly and quickly.
Pumpkin: Opt for ripe, firm, orange pumpkin. It imparts a deeper flavour to the dish. Cook the pumpkin pieces till they are tender but not mushy.
Coconut paste: Ensure the coconut paste is slightly coarse and not watery.
Roasted coconut for garnish: The last step of adding golden brown, grated coconut lends the dish an extra layer of flavour and aroma.
Let it rest before serving: Allowing the Erissery to rest for a few minutes helps the flavours blend, thereby enhancing its taste.
 
 
Keyword black-eyed peas, coconut, coconut oil, pumpkin