Elissery- Pumpkin and Black Chana Curry

This is for you Rana, Sumitha and Seema, for enjoying all the Kerala dishes that I make. This is a dish that you would find at any Sadya or feast.

Yellow Pumpkin peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes, I used a big wedge about 2 to 3 cups when cut up.

Black Chana 1 cup soaked for a few hours and cooked till tender or use canned Chickpeas

Turmeric 1/2 tsp

Chilli pwd/ Cayenne Pepper 1/2 tsp

Salt to taste

To Grind-:1/2 cup, 3 green chilles, 1/2 tsp cumin seeds

Tempering-: 2 tsp coconut oil, 1/2 tsp mustard seeds, 1/2 tsp udad dal, 2 red chillies,

3 tbsp grated coconut and curry leaves

Method:

• Cook the pumpkin with chilli pwd, turmeric, and salt.
• When half cooked add the cooked black chana.
• Once the pumpkin is cooked, add the ground paste.
• Cook for a few more minutes, it should be a thick gravy not too watery and not too dry.
• Heat oil for seasoning, add mustard seeds, once they splutter add red chillies and urad dal, once they are golden add curry leaves and coconut.
• Brown the coconut till it's golden brown but be careful not to burn it.
• This is the most important part, once the coconut is the right color add to the pumpkin.
• Serve with rice or chapatis.