Erissery is a traditional dish from Kerala cuisine, which is reddish brown in color, made using coconut paste, and seasoned with roasted coconut. This delicacy is thick in its texture and is rich and healthy for everyone but this is generally consumed in South India. People relish this dish with pumpkins and beans added along with other vegetables that can make the dish healthier and nutritious. This cuisine is generally prepared at the festive time of Onam.
The key ingredients for preparing the erissery cuisine are red oriental bean, sliced ripe pumpkin, oil, coconut milk, dried chilies, mustard, curry leaves, salt and water. Before proceeding, the initial step is to grind coconut by adding grated coconut, small onions, garlic, cumin, turmeric powder and green chilies in a blender so that a coarse paste is obtained. In traditional erissery recipe, pumpkin is cooked by adding enough water and salt and then the red oriental beans are cooked separately and it is mixed along with the pumpkin. The coarse paste is added to the pumpkin, is boiled for sometime, and is kept aside. In a pan, the oil is heated and then mustard, curry leaves and dry chilies are added and then the coconut milk is added. The milk is poured in the pumpkin curry and is mixed thoroughly so that the erissery is ready to be served.
Many variations can be brought about in the erissery recipe by adding many vegetables such as pumpkins, red beans, snake gourds, lentils, yams, raw plantains and papayas with the coconut paste. At the time of Onam, Mathanga and Payaru is added to prepare the dish but Vanpayaru is traditionally added in this dish. For making the consistency of the dish thick, water is used but milk can be used so that the cuisine becomes rich.
It is served hot and is served as a main entrée and is served in a dish or in a bowl as it contains gravy. It is also served in many restaurants with rotis, parathas or phulkas. The delicacy is served after it is seasoned with mustard, curry leaves, grated coconut and dry red chilies.
Erissery is a healthy South Indian dish, which is rich in ingredients and in nutritional facts. However, people suffering from obesity should avoid as it contains coconut milk in the recipe. The people who are dieting should consume this dish in small amounts as it contains empty calories. Erissery is rich in proteins in the form of coconut milk and contains fats due to coconut.