Mathan Erissery - Spicy Pumpkin With Toasted Coconut
Mathan Erissery, a a spicy side dish from Kerala s made of raw green pumpkin or elephant yam and typically garnished with toasted coconut.
Ingredients
- 1/4 kg pumpkin
- 1/2 cup fresh grated coconut (for grinding)
- 1/4 cup fresh grated coconut (for toasting/ roasting)
- 1 - 2 dried red chillies
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
- to taste salt
- 1 sprig curry leaves
- 1 1/2 tsps coconut oil
- 1 1/2 tsps mustard seeds
- 1 1/2 tsps Black gram lentils (urad dal)
Instructions
- First prepare the spice-coconut paste. Grind together 1/2 cup coconut, cumin seeds and red chillies, adding just enough water, to a fine paste. Keep aside.
- Peel and cut the pumpkin into roughly 1" by 1" cubes. Put these in a pan, adding a cup of water, turmeric powder and salt. Bring to a boil and simmer till the pumpkin is cooked and very little water remains. Now add the spice-coconut paste, mix and simmer for a couple of minutes. Take off the heat.
- Heat the oil, add the mustard seeds and when they splutter add the lentil and brown. Then turn off the heat and add the curry leaves. Stir and pour over the cooked pumpkin.
- In another pan, toast (without oil) the 1/4 cup grated coconut, stirring constantly, till it turns deep golden brown. Take care to see it does not burn. Add this to the Erissery. Stir lightly just before serving. Serve warm on the side with rice.