Ginger, Salt & Pepper

Another vegetarian staple from Kerala which has a place on the Onam sadhya vazhayila (banana leaf), I like mine slightly sweetened with jaggery. Call it a hand-me-down taste that runs in the family.

Erissery is made with pumpkin or butternut squash and vanpayaru, which is a type of small red beans. Vanpayaru resembles kidney beans, but is much smaller.

I find it hard to get the same variety where I am at, so I settle for small red beans which is similar (see picture)

Ingredients

1/2 cup Small red beans

4 cups Water (for soaking)

450 gram Pumpkin/ butternut squash (cut into pieces)

1/4 Onion (diced)

1 tbsp Ginger (minced)

2 tbsp Jaggery (grated)- optional

2 tbsp Oil

4 Dry red chillies

1 tsp Black Mustard seeds

1 tsp Turmeric powder

1 tsp Red chilli powder

1.5 cups Water (for cooking)

Salt to taste

Recipe

1. Soak the beans in 4 cups of water overnight

2. In a pressure cooker, heat oil and add the mustard seeds

3. Once the seeds splutter, add dry red chillies, turmeric powder and chilli powder

4. Add the onions and ginger and cook till soft

5. Add salt and water for cooking

6. Add the pumpkin pieces to this along with jaggery

7. Pressure cook for 3 whistles and turn off the heat

8. Drain the water from the beans and add to the pressure cooker once the pressure has gone

9. Pressure cook for another 3 whistles and turn off the heat

10. On opening the cooker, if you see that liquid remains, cook on an open flame to reduce the amount of liquid

Serve with hot rice