Mathanga/ pumkin curry

Delicious sweet and spicy mathanga/pumkin curry is one of the main recipes of Kerala sadya.

Mathanga curry is one traditional recipes of Kerala. It is easy to prepare this recipe. It is somewhat similar to the making of Parippu/Dal curry. Grated coconut is one of the main ingredient of this recipe. Coconut along with the addition of jeera gives a distinct taste. Light sweetness of pumpkin is compensated with the addition of spicy chopped green chilly. This contributes to its sweet and spicy taste.

Ingredients for Mathanga curry

• 3½ cups of chopped and sliced Pumkin pieces (Mathanga)
• 2 cups of water
• 1/3 cup of grated coconut
• A pinch of cumin (jeera)
• 2 or 3 chopped green chillies
• ½ teaspoon of turmeric powder
• Salt ( according to the requirement)
• 1½ tablespoon of coconut oil

Ingredients for tempering

• ½ teaspoon of mustard seeds
• 4 or 5 sliced shallots/small onions (ully)
• 1 or 2 sprig of curry leaves (Kariveppila)

Ingredients for garnishing

• 2 to 3 tablespoon of grated fried coconut

Method of preparation

• Pressure cook the pumpkin/mathanga in 2 cups of water. Add sufficient salt.
• Once it is cooked, mash it well.
• Grind together grated coconut along with a pinch of jeera, green chillis and turmeric powder in 2½ tablespoon of water.
• Mix the grinded coconut paste with mashed pumpkin.
• Cook this on a low flame for 7 to 8 minutes.
• Heat the oil in a frying pan and add in the remaining grated coconut. Once it gets an a golden brown colour, remove it from the heat and keep it aside
• Pour in the remaining coconut oil in the frying pan. Once it gets heated add the mustard seeds.
• When the mustard seeds splutter add the sliced shallots/small onion and curry leaves.
• Saute it until the shallot has a golden brown colour. Take out from the heat and pour it over the cooked mathanga curry/pumpkin curry.
• Garnish it with the fried coconut and pumpkin/mathanga curry is ready for serving.