Mathanga Pappadam Erissery

 Erissery, a traditional Kerala dish, an unavoidable member of the Kerala sadya is usually made by adding ground coconut paste to cooked vegetables like pumpkin, yam etc and then finally seasoned with roasted coconut along with the regular seasoning of mustard, curry leaves etc. This erissery is somehow a little different and in a way a more easier version of the traditional erissery. Another dish which I learnt from Jayasri Chechi. Here instead of coconut paste, coconut milk is being added and along with the seasoning of roasted coconut, we are adding fried pappad bits too which gives such a delectable taste to the dish. Over to the recipe of Mathanga(pumpkin) pappadam erissery.

Ingredients
1 onion chopped
2 Tbsp coconut oil
250 gms pumpkin, peeled and cut into cubes
1-2 whole red chillies
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp chilli powder
1 cup thick coconut milk(can use fresh, canned or coconut milk powder diluted in 1 cup water)
salt to taste

For the seasoning
1-2 Tbsp coconut oil
2-3 pappad- torn into bits
1/4 tsp mustard seeds
1 red chilli
few curry leaves
2 Tbsp grated coconut

Method

•  Heat a kadai/pan and add the coconut oil. Add the chopped onion and saute until translucent.
• Break the red chillies and add them to the onion. Fry for a few seconds.
• Toss in the pumpkin pieces and mix well.
• Add the turmeric powder, chilli powder. Reduce the heat and fry for a few seconds.
•  Pour in the coconut milk. Mix well.
• Add salt to taste and mix again.
• Cover and cook on low flame for 10 minutes or until the pumpkin is cooked. Switch off the heat and keep aside.

For seasoning

• Tear the pappad into small bits and keep aside.
• Heat the coconut oil in another pan. Add the mustard seeds and as they start to crackle, add the red chilli broken into pieces and curry leaves.
• Add the grated coconut and fry until the coconut turns golden brown. Add this to the prepared pumpkin curry.
• To the same pan add 1 tbsp oil and the pappad pieces. Fry until the pappad pieces puffs up. Add this also to the curry and cover immediately so as to lock in the flavours.
• Open after 2-3 minutes, mix and serve with steamed rice.