Erissery

Grated coconut is toasted to deep brown in the final tempering, and its article calls that the signature.

Vegan.

Ingredients

• 600 g pumpkin, in 2 cm cubes
• 150 g red cowpeas, soaked overnight
• 150 g coconut, grated, for the paste
• 80 g coconut, grated, for the tempering
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 teaspoon ground red chilli
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 teaspoon black pepper, ground
• 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 3 dried red chillies
• 20 curry leaves
• 3 tablespoons coconut oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt

Method

1. GRATED COCONUT IS TOASTED TO DEEP BROWN IN THE FINAL TEMPERING, AND ITS ARTICLE CALLS THAT THE SIGNATURE. It uses the words: "The signature feature of Erissery is its final tempering" -- mustard seeds, dried red chillies and curry leaves fried in coconut oil ALONGSIDE A GENEROUS AMOUNT OF GRATED COCONUT, toasted until DEEP GOLDEN BROWN AND FRAGRANT before being poured over. So coconut goes in twice and in two states: raw in the ground paste, and browned in the oil at the end. The browned eighty grams is the whole difference between this and any other coconut curry, and it is the step that cannot be rushed.
2. THE TOASTING TAKES SEVEN OR EIGHT MINUTES AND HAS TO BE WATCHED. Grated coconut goes from white to gold to black over about ninety seconds at the end. Stirred constantly, over a medium heat, taken off the moment it smells nutty.
3. THE VEGETABLE AND THE BEANS ARE BOILED TOGETHER. Its article is specific: the vegetable chopped into cubes, then the cowpeas or red beans added, and the mixture boiled with water, turmeric and salt until tender. One pot, not two.
4. THE COWPEAS ARE SOAKED OVERNIGHT OR THEY WILL NOT KEEP UP. Pumpkin takes fifteen minutes and unsoaked cowpeas take an hour.
5. ITS ARTICLE OFFERS THREE MAIN VEGETABLES. Raw plantain, elephant-foot yam, or pumpkin. Pumpkin is the sweetest and the fastest; yam gives a denser dish.
6. THE PASTE IS GROUND FINE, WHICH ITS ARTICLE SPECIFIES. A FINE paste of freshly grated coconut, garlic, cumin, chilli, turmeric and black pepper. Fine here and coarse in the avial on these pages -- a real difference, not a detail.
7. IT IS SIMMERED GENTLY AFTER THE PASTE GOES IN, AND ITS ARTICLE SAYS WHY. Gently on low heat to let the raw spice flavours dissipate WITHOUT LETTING EXCESS MOISTURE BUILD UP, ensuring a thick consistency. So the lid stays off.
8. IT IS A THICK, MILD SIDE DISH AND ITS ARTICLE SAYS WHICH. Thick and mild -- the pepper and the single teaspoon of chilli are for depth rather than heat.
9. THE TEMPERING IS POURED OVER AND NOT STIRRED IN COMPLETELY. Over the top, folded once. The point is meeting the browned coconut in places.

Our own recipe. This one was written for this site rather than taken from anywhere, so there is no source to point you at. The quantities and the order of the steps are choices, not the only way to do it.

Filed under India · All recipes