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
- Mung Beans/Green Gram (Cherupayaru) – 1 cup
- Diced Yellow Pumpkin – 5 cups
- Diced Onions – 1 small
- Slit Green Chillies – 2
- Chopped Garlic – 2 cloves
- Turmeric Powder – 1/4 tsp
- Salt – to taste
For Seasoning
- Oil – 1 tbsp
- Mustard Seeds – 1/4 tsp
- Curry Leaves – a sprig
- Diced Shallots – 4
- Chopped Cilantro (Malliyella) – A few
- Red Chilly Powder – 1/2 tsp
- Coriander Powder – 1 tsp
- Garam Masala Powder – 1/2 tsp
Preparation Method
- Soak the green gram for atleast half an hour. Wash and drain the green gram.
- 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.
- When the pressure subsides, open the cooker and gently mash the pumpkin pieces with a spatula.
- 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.
- Reduce heat and add the cilantro, red chilly powder and coriander powder. Add the cooked green gram and pumpkin mixture to the skillet.
- Saute the mixture for a few minutes. Be careful as the water from the pumpkin will start splattering.
- Sprinkle 1/2 tsp of garam masala powder. Mix well and remove from heat when the mixture attains a semi-solid consistency.
