Erissery is a traditional Kerala recipe, made with Yellow pumpkin, along with coconut, brown cow peas and other simple ingredients. Let’s see how to make this simple yet flavourful dish with step by step pictures and video.
This is often served as part of a lunch during special occasions and festivals like onam. But you can make it anytime to enjoy this.
Check out my other Kerala olan and Pineapple pachadi recipe in this website.
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Ingredients
![Erissery Recipe | Mathanga Erissery 2 erissery-ingredients](https://www.realtimeindia.in/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/1717298418_955_Erissery-Recipe-Mathanga-Erissery.jpg)
- Pumpkin (yellow) – Mathan/ Mathanga – I prepared erissery with this in this recipe
- Brown cowpeas (Vanpayar)
- Grated coconut – as Base, for richness & taste and roasted for garnish, gives a texture and flavour.
- Cumin seeds – for aroma
- Small onion shallots for flavor. But if you are making for festivals, please omit.
- Chilies – for spice. I used red ripe fresh chilli, use green chilli for more flavour. Also a dry red chilli while tempering.
- Turmeric powder for color and it’s goodness.
- Curry leaves for flavor
- Salt to taste
- Coconut oil for tempering, adds flavour.
Check my recipe card for full list and exact measurements.
Step by step images
![Erissery Recipe | Mathanga Erissery 4 Vanpayar - Brown cow peas](https://www.realtimeindia.in/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/1717298418_511_Erissery-Recipe-Mathanga-Erissery.jpg)
1. Wash firstly and soak brown cowpeas (vanpayar) overnight.
![Erissery Recipe | Mathanga Erissery 6 brown cow peas soaked](https://www.realtimeindia.in/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/1717298418_779_Erissery-Recipe-Mathanga-Erissery.jpg)
2. Next day, drain the water, wash and keep aside.
![Erissery Recipe | Mathanga Erissery 8 mathan, vanpayar, water, turmeric, salt](https://www.realtimeindia.in/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/1717298419_503_Erissery-Recipe-Mathanga-Erissery.jpg)
3. Take soaked cowpeas, cubed pumpkin, turmeric, salt and 1 cup water in a pressure cooker.
![Erissery Recipe | Mathanga Erissery 10 pressure cook erissery](https://www.realtimeindia.in/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/1717298419_366_Erissery-Recipe-Mathanga-Erissery.jpg)
4. Then pressure cook for just 2 whistles.
![Erissery Recipe | Mathanga Erissery 12 cooked pumpkin](https://www.realtimeindia.in/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/1717298419_52_Erissery-Recipe-Mathanga-Erissery.jpg)
5. Once pressure is released naturally, open and check for doneness. The cowpeas should be soft to press.
![Erissery Recipe | Mathanga Erissery 14 coconut for erissery](https://www.realtimeindia.in/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/1717298419_796_Erissery-Recipe-Mathanga-Erissery.jpg)
6. Meanwhile grind coconut (save 2 tablespoon for roasting) with little water, chilli, onion and cumin seeds.
![Erissery Recipe | Mathanga Erissery 16 coconut paste for erissery](https://www.realtimeindia.in/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/1717298419_471_Erissery-Recipe-Mathanga-Erissery.jpg)
7. It can be a coarse paste but make sure not to add too much water.
![Erissery Recipe | Mathanga Erissery 18 add to cooked pumpkin cowpeas](https://www.realtimeindia.in/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/1717298419_276_Erissery-Recipe-Mathanga-Erissery.jpg)
8. Then add the ground paste to cooked pumpkin and mix well.
![Erissery Recipe | Mathanga Erissery 20 mathanga erissery recipe](https://www.realtimeindia.in/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/1717298419_405_Erissery-Recipe-Mathanga-Erissery.jpg)
9. Boil furthermore until you get a homogenous consistency. It is okay if some of the pumpkin gets mashed.
![Erissery Recipe | Mathanga Erissery 22 temper mathan erissery](https://www.realtimeindia.in/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/1717298419_817_Erissery-Recipe-Mathanga-Erissery.jpg)
10. After that switch off the stove and heat a pan with oil for tempering. Once oil is hot, splutter mustard, add urad dal and red chilli.
![Erissery Recipe | Mathanga Erissery 24 coconut](https://www.realtimeindia.in/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/1717298419_872_Erissery-Recipe-Mathanga-Erissery.jpg)
11. Then add curry leaves and add the reserved 2 tablespoon coconut.
![Erissery Recipe | Mathanga Erissery 26 golden roasted coconut](https://www.realtimeindia.in/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/1717298419_942_Erissery-Recipe-Mathanga-Erissery.jpg)
12. Roast until golden in colour.
Finally, add to the erissery and mix to serve.
![Erissery Recipe | Mathanga Erissery 28 erissery ready](https://www.realtimeindia.in/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/1717298420_106_Erissery-Recipe-Mathanga-Erissery.jpg)
Manthan erissery is ready to serve in you Onam sadhya or Vishu sadhya. You can make this in regular days too for lunch as side.
![Erissery Recipe | Mathanga Erissery 30 Mathan erissery recipe](https://www.realtimeindia.in/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/1717298420_495_Erissery-Recipe-Mathanga-Erissery.jpg)
Substitutions & Variations
- Onion: Though I have added onion, there is also a version that doesnot use onion.
- Chilli: Instead of fresh chilli, use black pepper while grinding coconut.
- Vegetable: You can use elephant Yam or Plantain to make a variation.
- Use fresh green long beans too instead of dried brown cow peas.
Top tips
- Soaking brown cow peas (vanpayar) overnight helps easy cooking.
- The dish should have a homogenous texture so that it looks perfect while serving over a banana leaf.
Shelf life
Since it is coconut added dish, it should be consumed soon, or within 2 days in refrigerator.
Serving Suggestion
Serve as part of a Sadhya, I love to have it with Kerala papadam.
Recipe card
Erissery Recipe | Mathanga Erissery
Erissery is a traditional Kerala recipe, made with Yellow pumpkin, along with coconut, brown cow peas and other simple ingredients.
Ingredients
- 2 cups Pumpkin cubed
- ¼ cup Brown cow peas vanpayar, soaked overnight
- ¼ teaspoon Turmeric
- Salt
To Grind
- ½ cup Grated coconut
- ½ teaspoon Cumin seeds
- 1 Green chilli or 4 black pepper
- 2 Small onions Optional
To Temper
- ½ teaspoon Mustard
- 1 teaspoon Urad dal
- 1 Red chilli
- 1 sprig Curry leaves
- 2 tablespoon Grated coconut
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Instructions
-
Wash firstly and soak brown cowpeas (vanpayar) overnight.
-
Next day, drain the water, wash and keep aside.
-
Take soaked cowpeas, cubed pumpkin, turmeric, salt and 1 cup water in a pressure cooker.
-
Then pressure cook for just 2 whistles.
-
Once pressure is released naturally, open and check for doneness. The cowpeas should be soft to press.
-
Meanwhile grind coconut (save 2 tablespoon for roasting) with little water, chilli, onion and cumin seeds.
-
It can be a coarse paste but make sure not to add too much water.
-
Then add the ground paste to cooked pumpkin and mix well.
-
Boil furthermore until you get a homogenous consistency. It is okay if some of the pumpkin gets mashed.
-
After that switch off the stove and heat a pan with oil for tempering. Once oil is hot, splutter mustard, add urad dal and red chilli.
-
Then add curry leaves and add the reserved 2 tablespoon coconut.
-
Roast until golden in colour.
-
Finally, add to the erissery and mix to serve.
Video
Notes
- Soaking brown cow peas (vanpayar) overnight helps easy cooking.
- The dish should have a homogenous texture so that it looks perfect while serving over a banana leaf.
- I used fresh but ripe chilli. You can use green chilli or black pepper too.