Sadya is the biggest vegetarian feast of Kerala, served for festivals like Onam, Vishu and of course on auspicious occasions. Out of the “n” number of Sadya special dishes, Olan stands out as a subtle curry which is light, hearty, and deliciously complements the flavours of the different Sadya curries.

The main ingredients of this dish are Ash Gourd (Kumbalanga) / Winter Melon and Red Cowpeas (Vanpayar). Both are cooked and simmered in a flavourful coconut milk-based gravy, spiced with green chilies. The coconut milk is used and cooked in two stages; 1. while cooking the ash gourd 2. to top the curry at the end with thick coconut milk.

Olan is commonly served as one among the many sides of Sadya, but can also be served as a side with boiled rice and some spicy curry. Do try out this recipe and let me know your feedbacks in the comment section below.

Interested in other Sadya recipes? Check it out here:

Sadya Recipes

Enjoy, Happy Cooking…!

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Olan / Ash Gourd Coconut Milk Curry

Olan! A Sadya Special, made with Ash Gourd / Kumbalanga,Red cowpeas & simmered in a Coconut milk-based gravy.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Indian

Keyword kerala, kerala sadya, Olan, sadya

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 5

Author Akhila

Ingredients

• 2 cups of ash gourd/ kumbalanga (cubed)
• ½ cup red cowpeas / vanpayar
• 2 green chilies (slit)
• ½ cup water
• 1 cup thin coconut milk
• ¼ cup thick coconut milk
• 2 sprigs of curry leaves
• ½ cup water
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• salt (as required)

Instructions

• Soak red cowpeas overnight.
• Pressure cook the soaked cowpeas with a little water, for up to 1 whistle. Make sure not to overcook the beans making them mushy, it should retain its shape.
• In a pan, cook ash gourd by adding ½ cup water, green chilies, 1 sprig of curry leaves and little salt. Once it starts boiling, add thin coconut milk and cook on medium flame.
• Cook until the veggies are cooked perfectly, but still holds its shape. Add the cooked red cowpeas, mix well, and adjust the seasoning.
• Reduce the flame and add thick coconut milk. Allow it to cook for 1 more minute and then switch off the flame. Top with coconut oil and curry leaves.
• Allow the curry to rest for 15 minutes before serving. Enjoy!!!

The post Olan/ Ash Gourd Coconut Milk Curry appeared first on Pepper Delight.

I love pumpkin and the dishes made with it, to which I was brought up in my hometown. But all of them had been savoury! It was after moving to the US that I realized how popular pumpkin is here, in fact way popular than in India. It is a key element to the Halloween celebrations and has a variety of dishes that too for the sweet tooth. I keep getting surprised even nowadays seeing the different sweet pumpkin dishes & desserts … pumpkin pies, tarts, smoothies, pancakes, soups, cakes… is there anything more you can ask for?

So coming back to the savoury side of pumpkin, Erissery is one of the most popular side dishes of Kerala, India; served mainly for our biggest & our traditional feast; Sadya. The preparation and the ingredients used vary in different parts of the state, with pumpkin sometimes being replaced with yam, banana, or butternut squash.

Pumpkin when combined with legumes makes a very healthy diet. Red cowpeas also known as Lobhia or Vanpayar, are an excellent source of protein and this legume has different variations, like the black, brown, and white creamy peas.

Tadka, or tempering of spices in oil, is one of the key steps in this recipe’s preparation, where both fresh and roasted coconut is used; fresh for the base in a grinded paste form, and the roasted as a garnish along with spices. The beautiful aroma from the roasting of coconut itself makes your mouth watering, pair this dish with steamed rice and enjoy…!

Happy Cooking..!!!

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Prep time: 40-45 mins
Serves: 4 – 5 servings

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup pumpkin (sliced)
• ¾ cup red cowpeas / vanpayar
• ½ + ½ cup coconut (grated)
• 2 garlic cloves
• ¼ teaspoon cumin / jeera
• ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
• 2 green chilies
• 2 sprigs curry leaves
• 2 dry red chilies
• 2 pearl onions (chopped)
• mustard seeds (a pinch)
• salt (as required)
• oil (as required)
• 2 cups water (for pressure cooking)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Soak red cowpeas overnight OR Pressure cook red cowpeas with a little salt and 2 cups of water, on a medium flame for up to 3 whistles. Take the cooker off the flame, and allow it to rest till the pressure goes off.
2. Drain the cowpeas.
3. Clean the pumpkin by peeling off its skin and removing its seeds. Slice it into small pieces.
4. Add a little water to a pan and cook the pumpkin slices with salt and a pinch of turmeric powder, until it turns mushy. Mash well with a wooden spoon.
5. In the meantime, make a paste of coconut, cumin, green chilies, garlic and turmeric powder.
6. Turn down the heat of the pan to low and add the cooked cowpeas and coconut paste, mix well.
7. Adjust the salt and boil the curry until it thickens. Turn off the flame.
8. In another pan, heat some oil and splutter mustard seeds. Add curry leaves, dry red chilies and pearl onions. Saute for a minute on a low flame, and add the other half of the grated coconut.
9. Roast the coconut by stirring frequently till it brownish and aromatic.
10. Garnish the pumpkin curry with the roasted coconut paste.

Serve warm with steamed rice.

Interested in more Pumpkin recipes, check this out:

Pumpkin with Yogurt (Mathanga Pachadi)

Interested in more side dish recipes with Red cowpeas, check this out:

Broccoli with Red Cowpeas

The post Pumpkin with Red Cowpeas / Mathanga Erissery appeared first on Pepper Delight.

So Josna, on your request…!

Mathanga (Pumpkin) Pachadi is a very common dish made with coconut and yogurt, here Pachadi is a common reference to any side dish made with yogurt and usually on a sweeter note. I had earlier uploaded a Beetroot Pachadi recipe, and yes you guessed it right; I love recipes with yogurt. The one big difference with this recipe when compared to any other Pachadi recipes is the use of mustard seeds. Normally we use mustard seeds to temper by spluttering it in oil, but here we also crush it and add to the dish. That’s my mom’s secret tip, and it tastes good too.

I love the thick squishy pumpkin yogurt combo, this little sweet and sour curry will make a delicious accompaniment with rice and any spicy curry, I would recommend a fish curry to go along with.

Prep time: 30 minutes
Serves: 4 – 5 servings

INGREDIENTS

• ½ cup Pumpkin (chopped)
• 2 green chilies
•  1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• ½ cup Grated coconut
• ¼ tbsp Cumin seeds
• 2 sprigs Curry leaves
• Small pinch of Mustard seeds
• ½ cup yogurt
• Dry red chilies (garnish)
• Oil (as required)
• Salt (as required)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Cut the pumpkin into half, and clean and remove seeds from the inside. Peel of its skin.
2. Slice pumpkin into small pieces.
3. In a pan cook the pumpkin with a little water and salt, till it turns mushy.
4. Meanwhile make a coconut paste by grinding grated coconut, green chilies, turmeric powder, and cumin seeds.
5. Mash the cooked pumpkin properly with a wooden spoon or a masher. Add the coconut paste with 2 tbsp of water and mix well. Cook the mix for another 3 minutes. Turn off the flame and allow it to cool.
6. Beat yogurt and add it to the pan and mix well, taste and add salt as needed.
7. Take another small pan for tempering a little oil, curry leaves and dry red chilies, on a low flame. Add the tempering to the pumpkin curry and mix well.
8. Pound mustard seeds in mortar and pestle until crushed, and add that to the curry.

Serve with rice.

The post Pumpkin with Yogurt (Mathanga Pachadi) appeared first on Pepper Delight.