There are such a lot of recipes that may be made with Pumpkin – a veggie from the squash household. Identical to this Pumpkin Erissery, which is a stunning dish from the delicacies of Kerala. Also referred to as Mathanga Erissery, it’s a mildly tempered curry with slight candy tones from the pumpkin and coconut. It is usually gluten-free and vegan as all of the elements on this recipe are plant-based.

About Mathanga Erissery
The Malayalam phrase ‘mathanga’ means ‘yellow pumpkin’ in English. ‘Erissery’ is a Kerala model curry of vegetable or legume, coconut paste and tempering of fundamental South Indian elements.
Also referred to as ‘elisseri’ or ‘ellisherri,’ it is likely one of the fundamental dishes that’s served within the conventional vegetarian feast ‘sadya’ throughout Onam pageant.
On this put up, I’m sharing some of the frequent variations of this dish, which is a no onion, no garlic Mathanga Erissery.
This was truly made at house, once I had bought the pumpkin or kaddu to make a candy halwa and as an alternative ended up making this scrumptious and comforting erissery.
Along with the mathanga on this Pumpkin Erissery, different elements and components embrace cowpeas or black eyed beans, floor spices, a coconut paste and a tempering fabricated from curry leaves, mustard seeds, dried purple chilies and recent coconut.
Since it is a basic recipe from Kerala, a South Indian state, the tempering is completed in coconut oil. I’ve used black-eyed cowpeas, however you too can use purple cowpeas. Apart from this, typically pigeon peas (arhar dal) could also be added on this preparation.
There are totally different variations of an erissery that may be made with unripe plantains/banana, yam, and many others.

About This Pumpkin Erissery Recipe
For this Pumpkin Erissery recipe, I referred to 2 sources on Kerala delicacies – the primary one being Nag’s weblog Edible Backyard and the second, a cookbook on the meals of Kerala that I’ve.
The recipes in each these locations had been virtually the identical, particularly the apt approach and technique. I’ve tailored the Pumpkin Erissery recipe from each these sources and have tried my finest to remain true to the authenticity.
Since this dish is one important characteristic on the Onam sadya menu, you actually can’t be doing a lot experimentation with it. So, this recipe of Mathanga Erissery is kind of easy and easy.
Each the pumpkin and cowpeas are cooked, then the coconut paste is added and simmered. That is later tempered with the standard South Indian elements in coconut oil.
The coconut oil imparts a basic style to the dish. However if you want, you may make it in some other vegetable oil as properly.
This Pumpkin Erissery tastes finest with steamed rice, and also you truly don’t require the rest to go together with it. However in order for you, you’ll be able to have a facet of Sambar too with the rice and the erissery.
Additionally, in case you are on the lookout for extra genuine Onam recipes, do take a look at the gathering of Kerala Onam Recipes.
Professional Suggestions
- Onions and garlic: Since this dish is primarily served within the non secular Onam sadya feast, it doesn’t have any onion or garlic. However, in case you are making it at house on a daily day, you’ll be able to even add some sambar onions within the tempering.
- Coconut paste: You must grind the coconut paste easily and to a positive consistency. It may be thick to medium consistency, however not very watery.
- Few elements swaps: This erissery might be made with yam, uncooked banana, and many others. As a substitute of the cowpeas, you too can add pigeon peas.
- Sort of coconut: For each the paste and the tempering, you’ll be able to both use recent or frozen coconut. You would additionally use unsweetened dry desiccated coconut. However make a remark that the desiccated coconut will give a distinct style to the curry.
- Spicy curry: If you wish to make a spicy erissery recipe, then you’ll be able to enhance the variety of inexperienced chilies within the coconut paste.
- Fat: Coconut oil is most popular to make the tempering. In case you have got an aversion in direction of this explicit oil, then you should utilize some other vegetable oil on this dish.
Extra Kerala Curry Recipes To Attempt!
Gluten Free Recipes
Vegan Recipes
Kerala Recipes
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Mathanga Erissery | Pumpkin Erissery Recipe
Pumpkin Erissery is a light and tempered curry with mild candy tones made with pumpkin, cowpeas and coconut. A Kerala conventional dish served throughout onam sadya.
Prep Time 25 minutes
Prepare dinner Time 25 minutes
Whole Time 50 minutes
For cooking black eyed peas
Stop your display screen from going darkish whereas making the recipe
Preparation
Rinse the cowpeas or black eyed beans very properly in water just a few occasions.
- Strain cook dinner them with 2 or 2.5 cups water with a little bit of salt on medium warmth for 7 to 9 whistles or extra till they’re cooked fully and softened. Drain and maintain apart.For a fast cooking of the black eyed peas, soak them in water for one to 2 hours.
Let the strain drop by itself within the cooker after which solely open the lid. Drain all of the water utilizing a strainer and maintain the cooked black eyed peas apart.
Rinse the pumpkin, peel and chop into chew sized cubes.
Making mathanga erissery
Take the pumpkin cubes and 1 cup water in a saucepan or medium-sized pot.
Add turmeric powder, purple chili powder and salt.
Cowl the pan and cook dinner the pumpkin for 12 to fifteen minutes or extra on a low warmth until they’re softened.
- Test the pumpkin just a few occasions when they’re cooking, to see if the water has not dried up. If the water dries up, then add some extra water and proceed to cook dinner.
Change off the warmth as soon as the pumpkins are tender.
Whereas the pumpkins are cooking, take the grated coconut, inexperienced chilli and cumin in a grinder jar.
Add ½ cup water and grind to a easy and positive paste.
Add this coconut paste to the cooked pumpkins within the pan. Additionally add the cooked black eyed peas.
Add ½ cup water or extra if the consistency appears very thick. The consistency is thick to barely thick.
Stir properly and place the pan on the stovetop and simmer for 10 to 12 minutes or extra until the flavors are properly blended.
- If the curry turns into very thick, add some extra water. The consistency of the curry is thick to barely thick, so regulate the quantity of water in keeping with your preferences.
When performed cowl with a lid and maintain apart.
Making tempering
In a small pan, warmth coconut oil. crackle the mustard seeds first.
Then add the curry leaves and the purple chilies.
Fry until the curry leaves begin to change into crisp and the colour of the purple chilies change.
Add the grated coconut and sauté until the coconut turns into golden.
The recent coconut gratings take up all of the oil.
So carry on stirring and sauté on a low warmth, in order that the coconut doesn’t get burnt and there’s even browning.
Pour this entire tempering combination into the Mathanga Erissery.
Stir and serve Pumpkin Erissery sizzling or heat with some steamed rice or sambar.
- This recipe may also be made with the inexperienced skinned pumpkins.
- Each purple cowpeas and white cowpeas or black eyed peas work properly within the recipe. Relying on the standard and dimension of the cowpeas, enhance or cut back the cooking time.
- Prepare dinner the cowpeas till tender and softened. Don’t overcook them as they find yourself change into pasty and mushy.
- If out of recent coconut, use unsweetened desiccated coconut or dried shredded coconut as an alternative. However understand that the style shall be totally different with desiccated coconut.
- As a substitute of inexperienced chilli, you might additionally add about ¼ to ½ teaspoon of black peppercorns whereas making the coconut paste.
- You may simply scale up the recipe to make for the Onam feast.
Vitamin Details
Mathanga Erissery | Pumpkin Erissery Recipe
Quantity Per Serving
Energy 302 Energy from Fats 180
% Every day Worth*
Fats 20g31%
Saturated Fats 17g106%
Polyunsaturated Fats 1g
Monounsaturated Fats 1g
Sodium 465mg20%
Potassium 640mg18%
Carbohydrates 27g9%
Fiber 6g25%
Sugar 6g7%
Protein 8g16%
Vitamin A 5938IU119%
Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) 0.3mg20%
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) 0.1mg6%
Vitamin B3 (Niacin) 47mg235%
Vitamin B6 0.2mg10%
Vitamin C 89mg108%
Vitamin E 1mg7%
Vitamin Okay 3µg3%
Calcium 78mg8%
Vitamin B9 (Folate) 664µg166%
Iron 4mg22%
Magnesium 74mg19%
Phosphorus 182mg18%
Zinc 2mg13%
* P.c Every day Values are based mostly on a 2000 calorie weight loss program.
This Mathanga Erissery recipe put up from the archives first printed on September 2013 has been republished and up to date on November 2022.






