Malabar Erissery | Nanjil special Erissery
Nanjil Nadu special Erissery
Erissery is one of the popular stew in Kerala. It’s a stew usually made using Mathanga (Pumpkin) or Senai Kizhangu (Yam) with coconut paste and pepper. The Erissery made in Nagercoil and in Kanyakumari District (Nanjil Nadu) are slightly different from traditional Kerala Erissery. Nanjil Nadu is the town surrounding Kanyakumari District which was part of Travancore state before Independence. Later this was added as part of Tamil Nadu. The cooking style in Nanjil Nadu resembles the Kerala cuisine but with slight variations. This Erissery recipe given below is one such recipe
Erisseri in Kanyakumari District is usually made using Raw Banana or Yam (Senai Kizhangu). We can also make this using Yellow Pumpkin. No other vegetables are suitable to make Erisseri. The vegetable is cooked with freshly ground pepper powder, coconut paste and finally seasoned with roasted coconut. The Erisseri will have a wonderful flavor of coconut and pepper.
In this recipe I have used Raw Banana. You can also use Yam (Senai Kizhangu)
You may also want to try Kerala style Erisseri
Recipe Card to make Malabar Eriseri
Malabar Erissery | Nanjil Erissery | Kerala special stew using Raw Banana / Yam (Senai Kizhangu)
Equipments Needed
- Heavy Bottomed Pan
- Mixer Grinder
Ingredients
- 300 grams Chenai (Yam) (or) 3 Raw Banana
- 1 pinch Turmeric Powder
- 1 pinch Asafoetida (Asafetida / Hing)
- 1½ tsp Salt (adjust to your taste)
- 1 tbsp Coconut Oil
For the Masala Paste
- 1 tsp Oil preferably coconut oil
- 1 nos Red Chili
- ½ cup Grated Coconut
- ½ tsp Peppercorns
For Tempering
- 1 tsp Mustard seeds
- 1 tsp Oil preferably coconut oil
- 2 tbsp Grated Coconut
- 1 tsp Cumin Seeds
- 1 sprig Curry leaves
- 1 tsp Split Urad Dal
Instructions
Preparation
- Clean the vegetable (Senai Kizhangu or Raw Banana), peel the skin and chop into smaller pieces and keep it aside. Immerse the chopped vegetables in the water to prevent decolorization.
Preparation of spice powder
- Pour the oil in the pan. When the oil is hot, add pepper and fry them till you get the flavor of the pepper. Add Red Chili in the same pan and fry it till the color of the chili slightly change. We can fry peper and red chili together, but chili get burnt quickly hence doing it one after another
- Take the fried pepper and red chili to the mixer and grind it to powder
Cooking the vegetable
- Add water (approximate 1 cup of water) in a heavy bottom pan and heat it.
- When the water starts to boil add the vegetable, spice powder (ground pepper + red chili), pinch of turmeric, hing and salt. Adjust the water to ensure that the vegetables are completely immersed. Don’t add too much water otherwise the stew becomes watery.
- Cover the pan and let the vegetable completely cook. Check the water level in frequent intervals and add more water if required to ensure that the vegetables don't get burnt.
Making of the fresh coconut masala paste
- Take the coconut in a mixer along with 2-3 tbsp of water and grind it to a fine paste. We need thick coconut paste hence ensure that don't add too much of water while grinding
Making of Erissery
- Add the ground paste to the cooked vegetable and allow the mixture to boil
Tempering
- In a seperate pan add a teaspoon of oil (preferably coconut oil). Once the oil is hot, add the grated coconut (2 tbsp) and fry them in a low-medium flame till you get nice aroma of coconut / color of the coconut slightly change (light brown color). Add the fried coconut to Erissery
- In the same pan, add 1/2 tsp of oil and add the mustard seeds. When the mustard seeds start to sputter add the urad dal, cumin seeds and finally the curry leaves. Mix them well and add this tempering to the Erissery
- Finally add 1 tbsp of coconut oil in Erissery and mix it well. The hot, tasty and flavorful Erissery is ready to serve.
Notes
- You can avoid the red chili and instead add additional 1/2 tsp of pepper.
- You can also add the Jeera (Cumin Seeds) along with coconut and grind it to a paste.
- The vegetables (Raw Banana / Senai Kizhangu) can be cooked in a pressure cooker as well over 1-2 whistles.
Nutritional Info
Method to make Erissery with step by step pictures
PREPARATION
-
Clean the vegetable (Senai Kizhangu or Raw Banana), peel the skin and chop into smaller cubes and keep it aside. Immerse the chopped vegetables in the water to prevent decolorization.
PREPARATION OF SPICE POWDER
-
Pour the oil in the pan. When the oil is hot, add pepper and fry them till you get the flavor of the pepper. Add Red Chili in the same pan and fry it till the color of the chili slightly change. We can fry peper and red chili together, but chili get burnt quickly hence doing it one after another
-
Take the fried pepper and red chili to the mixer and grind it to fine powder
COOKING THE VEGETABLE
-
Add water (approximate 1 cup of water) in a heavy bottom pan and heat it.
-
When the water starts to boil add the vegetable, spice powder (ground pepper + red chili), pinch of turmeric, hing and salt. Adjust the water to ensure that the vegetables are completely immersed. Don’t add too much water otherwise the stew becomes watery.
-
Cover the pan and let the vegetable completely cook. Check the water level in frequent intervals and add more water if required to ensure that the vegetables don’t get burnt.
MAKING OF THE FRESH COCONUT MASALA PASTE
-
Take the coconut in a mixer along with 2-3 tbsp of water and grind it to a fine paste. We need thick coconut paste hence ensure that don’t add too much of water while grinding
MAKING OF ERISSERY
-
Add the ground paste to the cooked vegetable and allow the mixture to boil
TEMPERING
-
In a seperate pan add a teaspoon of oil (preferably coconut oil). Once the oil is hot, add the grated coconut (2 tbsp) and fry them in a low-medium flame till you get nice aroma of coconut / color of the coconut slightly change (light brown color). Add the fried coconut to Erissery
-
In the same pan, add 1/2 tsp of oil and add the mustard seeds. When the mustard seeds start to sputter add the urad dal, cumin seeds and finally the curry leaves. Mix them well and add this tempering to the Erissery
-
Finally add 1 tbsp of coconut oil in Erissery and mix it well. The hot, tasty and flavorful Erissery is ready to serve.
We mix raw banana and yam together.
yeah my MIL also used to do like that.