Vanpayar Kaya Erisseri (Red Cowpeas and Raw Banana Curry)

Vanpayar Kaya Erissery is a traditional Kerala style coconut based Vanpayar Kaya Curry made with red cowpeas and raw bananas, garnished with roasted coconut gratings and goes well with rice.Vanpayar Kaya Erisseri recipe is explained with step by step method and photos.

Ingredients:-

Red Cowpeas (Vanpayar). -1/2cup
Raw Banana (Kaya).          -3
Red chilly powder.             -1tsp
Turmeric powder.               -1/4tsp
Salt.                                    - to taste

For grinding Coconut Paste:-

Grated Coconut. -1cup
Green chillies.     - 4
Cumin seeds.       -1/2tsp
Shallots.              - 4 (optional)

For Seasoning:-

Coconut oil.        -1tsp
Dry Red chillies. -3 (broken into halves)
Curry leaves.       -1 spring

For Garnishing:-

Coconut oil.       - 1/2 tsp
Grated Coconut. - 2 tbsp

Instructions:-

1). Grind grated coconut along with green chillies, cumin seeds and shallots to a smooth and little coarse paste adding very little water. Keep aside the ground coconut paste.

2). Wash and soak red cowpeas (vanpayar) in water overnight and keep aside.

3). Peel the skin and chop raw bananas into small pieces and keep aside.

Method:-

1). Drain the soaked water and pressure cook the soaked red cowpeas along with chopped raw banana pieces adding sufficient water for 2 to 3 whistles.Transfer the cooked red cowpeas and cooked raw banana pieces in a cooking pan. Add 1cup of water into the pan and boil for a minute.

2). Add red chilly powder and turmeric powder into the cooking pan.

3). Add required salt into the pan and mix well.

4). Add ground coconut paste into the pan.

5). Mix the ground coconut paste with the cooked red cowpeas and banana pieces in the cooking pan. Boil and cook for 4 minutes on low flame and switch off the flame.

6). Heat 1tsp coconut oil in a small pan for seasoning and splutter mustard seeds and saute well. Add broken dry red chilly pieces and curry leaves into the small pan and fry in oil for a second. Switch off the flame.

7). Pour the above seasoning into the curry in the cooking pan.

8). Heat 1/2 tsp coconut oil in the same small seasoning pan and roast 2 tbsp of grated coconut till golden brown colour and pour it into the curry in the cooking pan and mix the curry using a ladle. Transfer the red cowpeas and raw banana curry to a serving bowl.

A very tasty, traditional and delicious Kerala style Vanpayar Kaya Erisseri (Red Cowpeas and Raw Banana Curry) is ready to serve hot with rice.