Avial

35 mins

Serves 4 people

Author: Rajni Ram

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Avial (South Indian Mix Veg recipe) is a mixed vegetable dish popular in Kerala. Curd forms the base of the gravy. The coconut gives it body and coconut oil the flavour. A very simple yet healthy option for weight watchers, people on the move who want a quick dish to make that doesn’t involve a lot of time.

Let’s get to the recipe right away

Ingredients

Ash Gourd 100 gm
Pumpkin 100 gm
Cucumber 100 gm
Carrot 1 medium
Beans 6 numbers
Potato 1 large
Yam (elephants foot) 50 gm
Raw Banana 1/2 a piece of 1 large one
Drumstick 2 not too thick ones
Capsicum 1/2
Green chillies 4( slit 2 lengthwise and add while veggies are cooking, 2 for grinding)
Coconut 1 half of a medium-sized one(grated)
Coconut oil 2 tsp
Curry leaves 10 leaves
Curd(slightly sour) 250 gms
Turmeric Powder 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Water 1.5 cups to vegetables

Assemble all ingredients.
Take a flat bottomed vessel and transfer all veggies, add salt, turmeric powder and water.
Let the veggies boil, takes about 10 minutes, keep stirring from bottom to top so that they cook equally. After 10 mins check for doneness. They should be cooked, yet be stiff and not become limp. Put off the stove, drain excess water and keep aside( do not discard the water)
While the veggies are cooking make your coconut, green chilli and curd paste. Grind it fine, add a little of the saved broth if required to make a smooth paste. Add this paste to the cooked vegetable and allow to cook for 2 mins. Keep stirring while it cools.
Lower the heat of the stove and add the remaining curd( remember we used only 2 Tbsp for grinding), at this stage, you can check for salt and spice and add more if required. Stir nicely and put off the stove. Pour 2 tsp of coconut oil and garnish with few curry leaves.
Your Avial is ready…enjoy with hot rice and ghee…Bon Appetite!

Cut all vegetables lengthwise, preferably to the same size so that they cook equally. Boil the veggies in a little water, add salt and turmeric while boiling. Once veggies are cooked, drain excess water(do not throw) and keep it aside. In the dry grinder of your mixie or processor, put in the grated coconut and green chillies and give it a nice turn, now add 3 Tbsp of curd and blend the contents well to form a smooth paste. Pour this paste into the boiled veggies and switch on the stove, stir it well and let cook for a few minutes. In the meanwhile just smoothen the curd with a spoon. Add this curd to veggies, give a good stir, cook for exactly 2 mins on low heat, do not bring the mixture to a boil and put off the stove. Check for salt and spice at this stage. Drizzle the coconut oil over the dish and add the curry leaves. Voila, the Avial is ready. Goes with hot rice and ghee.

Notes:

This recipe has a balance between vegetables with moisture like Ash gourd, cucumber etc and tubers like Potato and Yam, so feel free to add veggies of your choice while belong to these two categories. During Mango season add a few pieces of raw mango. The possibilities are endless, just don’t add onion and garlic.
Avoid overcooking the vegetables. You can add more coconut if required, it only enhances the flavour.
This recipe tastes best with sour curd instead of fresh, as it gives that mild sourness to the dish and helps in absorbing the spice and salt. Do not whip or beat the curd, just smoothen it with a spoon.
Once the second batch of curd is added, do not bring it to boil. Just stir and blend well and put off the stove.
I have not added Drumstick and Raw bananas, as I couldn’t get them, ( as it was the lockdown time), but do use them when you make it as the Drumsticks make the Avial really flavorful and aromatic.

If you tried this recipe and liked it, comment below. Would love to hear from you.

I served Avial with Coconut Rice…do try the combination