Erisseri

A delicacy made of pumpkin, red beans and coconut paste. Topped with roasted coconut for extra crunch and flavour. Try it and see what the hype is all about.

2 Cups kaddu (parangikai/ pumpkin) chopped
½ Cup black eyed beans (lobia)
½ Teaspoon red chilli powder
½ Teaspoon turmeric powder (haldi)
Salt to taste

To Grind:
1/2 Cup fresh coconut grated
1/2 Teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera)
1 Green chilli

For Tempering:
1 Tablespoon coconut oil
1/2 Teaspoon mustard seeds
1 Sprig curry leaves
2 Dry red chillies
1 Tablespoon fresh coconut
4 Pearl onions (sambar onions) sliced

METHOD

1. Soak black eyed beans for an hour.
2. Pressure-cook the beans with half a cup of water, for 3 to 5 whistles. Let the pressure release on its own.
3. Grind the paste ingredients – jeera, coconut and green chillies with a little water. Make a coarse paste and set it aside.
4. In a kadai, add the pumpkin, turmeric powder, red chilli powder and salt and cook on medium heat till the pumpkins are nearly cooked. Add water as required.
5. Add the coconut paste and the boiled black eyed peas to the pumpkin and stir well.
6. Cook on medium heat for another five minutes until the pumpkin is completely cooked.
7. Heat oil in a tadka pan. First add the mustard seeds and let it splutter, and then add curry leaves and red chillies.
8. Next, add sliced onions. Once they turn golden brown, add the coconut and saute till the coconut turns golden brown as well.
9. Add this to the Erissery and serve hot.