A Recipe for Sweet Pumpkin & Black Eyed Peas

The surprise winner of our onam sadya cookalong, this delciious reduction of pumpkin and jaggery in a sauce grainy from coconut flakes, is all kinds of finger licking magic. And like most dishes on the sadya, erissery walks the fine line between sweet and spicy flawlessly.

Barely adapted from Vava kitchen

Ingredients
1 cup cubed pumpkin
1 cup black eyed peas
1/2 tsp chilli powder
1/2 turmeric powder
3 tbsp coconut oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
2 dry red chillies
10 curry leaves
2.5 cups grated coconut
1/4 tsp jeera

Method
Pressure cook the black eyed peas with 2 cups of water on medium flame for 4 whistles, with the chilli, turmeric powder, and salt.
When it is done, open the cooker and add in the pumpkin.
In a mixer, grind 1 cup of coconut and cumin together with a spoon of water. Keep the grind coarse for added texture.
Now add into pot with the pumpkin and peas. Stir well.
In another pan, heat the coconut oil.
Sputter the mustard seeds in coconut oil, then add in red chillies, urad dal, and curry leaves.
Finally add the remaining 1.5 cup coconut and fry till brown.
Now add this sautéed mix into the pot with the pumpkin and peas
Erissery is meant to be a bit sweet. If the pumpkin you are using isn't sweet, add a bit of jaggery.

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