Matthan Erisheri (south Indian Pumpkin And Lentil Stew)

Total Time: 40 mins Preparation Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 1/2 cup dried lentils (moong dal)
• 250 g pumpkin, chopped (we use yellow pumpkin)
• salt
• 1/8 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/2 cup grated coconut, divided (freshly grated coconut is best)
• 1/2 red chile
• 1 teaspoon cumin seed
• 1 teaspoon oil
• 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon urad dal (split skinned black gram)
• 6 curry leaves

Recipe

• 1 cook lentils in a pressure cooker till tender.
• 2 alternately you can also cook it in a saucepan; add 1 cup water to lentils, bring to a boil, then reduce flame to low, cover, and simmer until tender (15-20 minutes).
• 3 cook chopped pumpkins in another saucepan with approximately 1 cup water, along with salt and turmeric, until tender (about 10-15 minutes).
• 4 meanwhile, in a grinder or food processor, grind grated coconut (leave aside 1 teaspoon), red chili, and cumin seeds into a paste.
• 5 when the pumpkin is cooked, add the cooked lentils and coconut paste to it and bring to a boil.
• 6 in a small frying pan, heat oil over medium-high flame and add mustard, urad dal and curry leaves.
• 7 when mustard sputters, add 1 teaspoon grated coconut and fry until it turns brown (don't burn it!!!).
• 8 add the contents of the frying pan to the lentil-pumpkin mixture.
• 9 stir well.
• 10 serve hot with steamed rice.