When it comes to pumpkins, it’s time to think beyond Halloween decorations and Thanksgiving pie fillings. Pumpkin eriseeri is a commonly made in Kerala during festivals like onam, vishu, and in many other celebrations. This curry is a combination of pumpkin and small red beans (adzuki beans) cooked in fresh coconut gravy. If you make this curry right, it’s very delicious and one of the healthiest dishes to have any time of the year.
South India recognized the health benefits of beautiful orange pumpkins generations ago. Pumpkin got its orange color from beta-carotene—a powerful antioxidant. Food that is rich in beta-carotene may prevent heart disease, asthma, certain types of cancer, and even early aging. Pumpkin is a rich source of vitamin A, vitamin C, and potassium. It is low in saturated fat and cholesterol.
Red beans or adzuki beans are high in protein and fiber. They help to maintain healthy blood sugar. Red beans are filled with antioxidants that prevent many diseases. Combining pumpkin and red beans makes it a super healthy recipe.
Pumpkin and beans are cooked in delicious coconut gravy. Then the curry is seasoned with shallots, red chiles, and curry leaves. Finally, it is garnished with toasted coconut. Instead of pumpkin, you can also cook the beans with elephant yam (cheana), green plantains, and many other vegetables. Pumpkin eriseeri was a curry that my mom made with many seasonal vegetables. Now I’m following her footsteps! It’s irresistible to make pumpkin eriseeri during this fall season when you see pumpkins everywhere.
Cuisine: Kerala
Ingredients
2 cups pumpkin
1/2 cup dried red beans
2 1/2 cups water
1 tablespoon chile powder
1 teaspoon black pepper powder
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon salt
Ingredients to grind
1 cup shredded coconut
3 shallots, skinned and sliced
Cooking Directions
1. Wash 1/2 cup of red beans 2 to 3 times. Put it in a pressure cooker and cook with water an inch above the beans. Then add 1/2 teaspoon salt, cover with a lid and cook until you hear three whistles. If you don’t have a pressure cooker, cook the beans in a pot until the beans are soft. Soaking beans in water helps it to cook faster. You can put it in water anywhere from overnight to half an hour before cooking. Beans will cook fine in a pressure cooker, even if you don’t soak it.
Seasoning the curry
Course: Side Dish
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Servs: 5-7
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Servs: 5-7
Ingredients
2 cups pumpkin
1/2 cup dried red beans
2 1/2 cups water
1 tablespoon chile powder
1 teaspoon black pepper powder
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon salt
Ingredients to grind
1 cup shredded coconut
1 green jalapeno or serrano pepper
1 shallot
1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
Seasoning Ingredients
3 shallots, skinned and sliced
3-4 dried red chiles, broken in half
1 sprig of curry leaves, stem removed
1 teaspoon white urad dal
3 tablespoon coconut oil
Garnishing Ingredient
3 tablespoon dried coconut
3 tablespoon dried coconut
Cooking Directions
1. Wash 1/2 cup of red beans 2 to 3 times. Put it in a pressure cooker and cook with water an inch above the beans. Then add 1/2 teaspoon salt, cover with a lid and cook until you hear three whistles. If you don’t have a pressure cooker, cook the beans in a pot until the beans are soft. Soaking beans in water helps it to cook faster. You can put it in water anywhere from overnight to half an hour before cooking. Beans will cook fine in a pressure cooker, even if you don’t soak it.
2. After the beans are cooked, add two cups of pumpkin and a cup of water into it. Combine everything and cook on high flame for 5 to 7 minutes.
3. Bring down the flame. Mash the cooked beans and pumpkin with a masher or with a big spoon. Then continue cooking on medium flame.
4. Grind all the grinding ingredients with water one inch above the coconut.
5. Pour this mixture into the pumpkin curry.
6. Blend in chile powder, pepper powder, and turmeric powder. Cook on medium flame for seven more minutes or until the curry boils.
7. Turn off the flame and set the curry aside.
Seasoning the curry
- Heat 3 tablespoon coconut oil in a small pan
- Add one teaspoon mustard seeds, cover with a lid and allow it to pop.
3. Once the mustards are popped, add the white urad dal and mix. Add shallots, dried red chile, and curry leaves. Mix everything until the shallots are soft and the red chiles starts to turn dark.
4. Pour this into the pumpkin curry. Mix well, cover with a lid for five minutes for the flavors to come together.
Garnishing the Curry
1. Add 3 tablespoon dried coconut to the same pan and toast until golden.
2. After five minutes remove the lid and add the coconut to the curry. Combine well and taste to see if salt is enough, add some more salt if needed. Serve the pumpkin eriseeri with some warm rice.
