Mathanga Vanpayar Erissery/Yellow Pumpkin Red Moong Curry ~ A Kerala Sadya Recipe

Ingredients Used: -

1. Vanpayar/Red Chori/Red Moong - ½ cup
2. Mathanga/Yellow Pumpkin - 2 cups(Skin peeled and chopped into med size cubes)
3. Turmeric powder - ½ tsp
4. Green Chilies - 4
5. Curry leaves
6. Water ~ 2 Cups + 1 Cup

To Grind:-

1. Grated Coconut - ¾ cup
2. Jeera/Cumin - ¾ tsp
3. Turmeric powder - ½ tsp
4. Water - 4 tbsp + more if required

To Temper:-

1. Coconut Oil/Veg Oil - 2tbsp
2. Mustard seeds - 1tsp
3. Dry Red Chilies - 4
4. Curry leaves few
5. Grated coconut - 3tbsp(generous amount)

How I made It:-

• Wash Vanpayar/Red Moong for couple of times and soak in water for about four hours.
• Add red moong, salt, water and pressure cook it for two whistles. (If you didn't get a chance to soak Vanpayar/Red moong, pressure cook for some more time in medium heat for five-seven whistles)
• When the pressure subsides, open the cooker, stir well and mix the Vanpayar/Red Chori.
• Add pumpkin, turmeric powder, slit green chilies, curry leaves and cook on stove top till pumpkin is soft and cooked. Stir well to mix and mash some pumpkin/Mathanga. Check for the salt and adjust.
• Meanwhile grind the 'to grind' ingredients. Add the ground paste to Vanpayar-Pumpkin mix and stir well. Add salt and water if required(Erissery normally is not too thick but should not be runny as well) 
• Put on the stove and get it to boil. Simmer the heat to medium and let it boil for another five minutes. Take it off the  stove and set aside.
• Heat a small frying pan, pour coconut oil, add mustard seeds and let it crackle. Add curry leaves, dry red chilies and saute for few seconds. Add grated coconut and saute till it is brown(make sure not to get it to dark brown and burn)
• Pour over the curry and give it a gentle mix. Serve warm with boiled rice and papads.

Kerala Style Sambhar without Cococnut

Sambhar is a South Indain dish/curry that can be served served with Rice/Idli/Dosas. It is made with Yellow Pigeon Peas/Toor Dal(Lentil) and a combination of veggies like Onion, Tomatoes, Fresh Drumsticks, Okra, Potatoes and more. You really don't have to use all the Veggies I mentioned, you can use any veggies you have in your Pantry :-)

Everyone have their own way of making Sambhar, I grew up seeing my Grandma making the Authentic Kerala sambhar by roasting the grated coconut, coriander powder and certain other ingredients which is Known as Varutharacha Sambhar. I used to make Sambhar regularly my Grandma's way or the Authentic way till the time I was in Kerala and maybe no other way of making sambhar can beat that taste. I started making sambhar without coconut after coming to US since coconut is not that readily available here as in Kerala and many time I ran out of it.  I really started admiring the taste of this 'no coconut sambhar' from then and so do my sister to whom I passed on this recipe(not just my sis, my friends to whomever I shared this recipe and family loves it). I used the homemade Sambhar Masala powder made by my MIL, you can use store bought one's as well. I am sure the easiness of making this and the great taste will surely make it a hit among your friend-family as well. So guys, here I'm sharing my way of making the all famous 'Sambhar' without coconut with all of you with the promise that I will surely share the recipe of authentic Kerala sambhar sometime soon. Enjoy!!!!

Ingredients:-

1. Toor dal- 3/4 cup
2. Bottleguard/Loki - 2 cups
3. Tindoora - 4
4. Carrot - 1 big
5. Potato - 1 big
6. Onion - 1 small
7. Green chillies -3(optional)
8. Drumstick - 2  
9. Okra/Ladysfinger - 4
10. Tomato - 1
11. Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
12. Tamarind - small lemon size
13. Salt to taste
14. Coconut Oil/Oil - 2 tbsp
15. Mustard - 1 tbsp
16. Fenugreek - 1 tsp
17. Curry leaves few
18. Dry whole red chilly - 2
19. Asafoetida Powder - 1/2 tsp
20. Homemade sambhar powder - 3 tbsp
21. Coriander leaves chopped - 2 tbsp

Preparation Method:-

• In a pressure cooker wash and drain the Toor dal. Clean the vegetables  from 2 to 7 and cut them lengthwise. Add them to the dal.
• Add 3 cups(add more/less) of water to the pressure cooker, add turmeric powder and salt.
• Pressure cook this for one-two whistles and switch off the flame.
• Soak tamarind in 1 cup of water for 10 minutes.
• Cut drumstick, okra and tomato lengthwise and set aside
• When pressure in the cooker settles or cool down, open it and add the drumstick, okra and Tomato.
• Squeeze well the soaked tamarind and add the tamarind water to the dal and veggies. Stir well with a ladle till bottom of the cooker to mix.
• Heat up the flame and cook this on med flame for 10-15 mins or till drumstick is cooked.
• Heat a pan and pour coconut oil, sputter mustard seeds. Add fenugreek, curry leaves, dry red chillies, asafoetida and switch off the flame. Add the sambhar masala to this and stir well and mix(Take care not to burn the sambhar powder,that is why I mentioned to switch off the flame and add the powder -  but oil should be still hot)
• Add this to the sambhar and stir well to mix everything. Let this boil for 2-3 mins and switch off the flame
• Add the chopped coriander leaves and few more curry leaves. Sambhar is ready to serve. Enjoy!!!!

Note:-

• You can add the veggies of your choice or whatever you have in your kitchen. Veggies commonly used are Drumsticks/Muringakka, Okra/Lady's Finger/Vendakka, Brinjal/Vazhuthanangha, Beans, Carrots, Yam/Chena, Potatoes/UrulaKizhanghu, Yellow Pumpkin/Mathanga, Winter Melon/Kumbalangha, Plantain banana/Pachakkaaya.
• I personally don't like the frozen drumstick, they spoil the taste of entire sambhar. So if you didn't find the fresh one's opt out the drumstick(again it is all your personally choice)
• Sambhar masala is according to you taste, you can add/reduce the quantity according to the amount of veggies and dal used.
• I used Home Made Sambhar Powder which already is spicy and have Coriander powder. If you are using store bought masalas you can add/adjust chilli powder and coriander powder according.(Add chilli powder when you pressure cook and coriander powder when you do the seasoning)