Erissery

Ingredients

• Yam 25 g
• Raw banana 1
• Pepper powder 1 tbsp
• Water 1 ½ cup
• Turmeric powder 1 tbsp
• Salt€“ to taste
• Coconut (grated) from one half of a coconut
• Cumin seeds 1 tsp
• Coconut oil 1 tbsp
• Mustard seeds ¼ tsp
• Coconut (grated) from one half of a coconut
• Ghee 1 tbsp
• Cumin seeds ½ tsp

Preparation

Chop the yam into small pieces and place it in water.
Slice the skin from the banana and draw four equal slits lengthwise. Now slice each piece diagonally into smaller pieces and place it in water.
Dissolve the pepper powder in water and stir it well. When the powder settles, drain out the liquid.
Once again, add water and strain it through a muslin cloth.
Add the yam, turmeric powder and salt to this water and boil it well.
When the yam is three fourths cooked, add the chopped banana pieces and continue to cook till it is done.
Mix the grated coconut and the cumin seeds and grind well. Add this paste to the cooked vegetables and keep it all to boil.
When it boils well, remove from the flame.
Heat coconut oil in a frying pan, and add the mustard seeds. When it splutters, add grated coconut from one half of a coconut, mashed well by hand without adding water.
Keep stirring well all the time.
When the coconut is well fried, add the ghee and mix well. Next remove a small amount of coconut from the centre and make a small hole.
To this add the cumin seeds. When it splutters, remove from the flame and add the contents to the cooked yam mixture.
Mix well and serve.
Take care to keep the flame at the minimum or lowest possible, when frying the coconut, to prevent it from burning.

(by M. Anantharaman)