Kerala Recipes

What do you do with Pumpkins? I often end up making traditional Kerala dishes like Mathanga Vanpayaru Erishery and Olan. Not to forget Pumpkin Pies and Puddings. For a change, I decided to try a new dish with Mung/Moong Beans (CheruPayaru) and Pumpkin. I didn’t have coconut and couldn’t make any of the traditional Kerala dishes. Instead I made Mathanga Cherupayaru Kootu which had a semi-solid consistency. We enjoyed this side dish with Rice.

Mathanga Cherupayaru Kootu (Pumpkin with Green Gram)

I have used semi-ripe Pumpkins in this recipe. The sweetness from the Pumpkin made this dish taste wonderful.

Ingredients

1. Mung Beans/Green Gram (Cherupayaru) – 1 cup
2. Diced Yellow Pumpkin – 5 cups
3. Diced Onions – 1 small
4. Slit Green Chillies – 2
5. Chopped Garlic – 2 cloves
6. Turmeric Powder – 1/4 tsp
7. Salt – to taste

For Seasoning

1. Oil – 1 tbsp
2. Mustard Seeds – 1/4 tsp
3. Curry Leaves – a sprig
4. Diced Shallots – 4
5. Chopped Cilantro (Malliyella) – A few
6. Red Chilly Powder – 1/2 tsp
7. Coriander Powder – 1 tsp
8. Garam Masala Powder – 1/2 tsp

Preparation Method

1. Soak the green gram for atleast half an hour. Wash and drain the green gram.
2. Pressure cook the green gram and pumpkin along with the onions, green chillies, garlic, turmeric powder, little salt and around 1.5 cups of water. I cooked everything for 2 whistles (around 10 minutes) on medium heat.
3. When the pressure subsides, open the cooker and gently mash the pumpkin pieces with a spatula.
4. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a skillet and splutter mustard seeds. Throw in the shallots and curry leaves. Saute until the shallots begin to brown.
5. Reduce heat and add the cilantro, red chilly powder and coriander powder. Add the cooked green gram and pumpkin mixture to the skillet.
6. Saute the mixture for a few minutes. Be careful as the water from the pumpkin will start splattering.
7. Sprinkle 1/2 tsp of garam masala powder. Mix well and remove from heat when the mixture attains a semi-solid consistency.

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