Matha Verakiyathu / Sweet Pumpkin Porridge With Rice Flour and Cocounut

My Grandma had lots of veggie plants like pumpkin,ashgourd,cucumber and green chilly in her land during my child hood days.We children spent our long two months of vacation (and of course other holidays too..) in her house every year.The land around her home had a real verdure, most of them were arecanut plantations.(kavungin thoppu/thottam, adakka krishi) The house had a green field next to the land, which had a water canal through it which was our swimming pool,(other pool too was there in the land) but we were afraid to go there during monsoon, and every one used the clear water in the field, which was not deep. I always love to remember those wonderful days.. We caught fish using bath- towel (thorthu mundu), put them in the water collected in the jars, and made our small aquariums.. It was for our self- satisfaction too, since the big boys among us used to catch fish using fishing rods and they didn't allow us to use it.We always left home in the morning, roaming in the land around home,watching birds, butterflies etc
Mostly Grandma made vegetable curries using the products from her own land, and sent them to the neighbors and relatives. Now she is old and can't do anything herself, but manages to do many of her own things herself. But still her Daughter in lawns plant some and this dish was made by mom using the pumpkins they had sent.Nadan pachakkari (can I call it organic vegetables?) tastes great, and of course the curry made with that had a wonderful taste.
Verakal means mixing , so this a dish prepared by mixing cooked pumpkin with rice flour, jaggery and coconut.



Matha Verakiyathu Ingredients
Pumpkin 1/2 kg
rice powder 1 cup
jaggery 1/2 cup or according to taste
coconut grated 1 cup
water
salt enough



How to prepare
Peel and chop pumpkin.
Melt jaggery, remove impurities and keep aside.(For this add little water in jaggery and heat it)
Mix rice powder with enough water to make a medium thick batter.
Cook pumpkin with enough water and salt.When it is cooked , mash it.
Add rice flour batter, melted jaggery and coconut into this. Keep it on a medium heat stirring continuously. When the water is completely dried up, remove from fire.Can be taken as a teatime snack.

Other Pumpkin Dishes