Mathan Erisheri (Yellow Pumpkin and Dal Curry)

When I was young, I used to hate erisheri, but somewhere along the line, I began to love it. From then on, my experiments with this dish did not cease. I usually make erisheri with raw plantain, for two reasons

1. I love raw plantains


2. I can pressure cook the raw plantains, so making this dish saves me time.

Despite my reflux and acidity, I prefer having erisheri with heaps of pickle. Since we do not add tomatoes or tamarind to this, the sour quotient is missing in this dish. So I add pickle to it. But the best combination is Erisheri with curd (yogurt) and Payar & Kai (Long Beans and Raw Plantain) Mizhikkuperati.

My husband is from the Konkan side and he prefers a tinge of sweet in his food, a complete contrast to my ultra spicy taste. He usually adjusts to my spicy food, but this time I thought I would make Erisheri with Mathan (Yellow Pumpkin) as it is slightly sweet. Here goes the recipe. Note, the recipe is the same for any kind of erisheri, you just have to substitute the pumpkin with raw plantains/yam/peerkinga (ridge gourd I think).

Ingredients:

1. Yellow Pumpkin - 100 gms


2. Tuvar Dal - 1 cup


3. Grated Coconut - 1 cup


4. Jeera - 1 tsp


5. Green Chilly - 2


6. Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp


7. Chilly Powder - 3/4 tsp


8. Salt to taste


9. Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp


10. Curry Leaves - 2 sprigs


11. Red Chilly - 2 broken


12. Shallots - 2-3 finely chopped


13. Coconut Oil - 3 tsp

Method:

1. Wash and Pressure cook dal with a pinch of turmeric powder and a drop of oil


2. Cut Yellow Pumpkin (or any other veggie you are using) and cook them in an open vessel with turmeric. If you are using Yam or Raw Plantain, you can pressure cook them for 1-2 whistles.


3. Grind coarsely coconut gratings, jeera and green chilly.


4. Mix dal to the vegetable and allow to cook.


5. Add ground paste, red chilly powder and mix well.


6. Add salt and let it boil and cook till it is of a fairly thick consistency.


7. Remove from flame.


8. Heat coconut oil in a small pan.


9. Splutter mustards, add curry leaves and red chilly.


10. Add to the cooked gravy.


11. Finally, deep fry chopped shallots in remaining coconut oil and when it is blackend and appears burnt, add it to the curry. This is optional. My mother does not do it, but I liked the smoked flavour the burnt shallots generate.


12. Serve with Rice.