When ever I go to Kerala, avial is top in the list of things I ask my mum to cook for me. Her avial is 'world-famous' and she makes it with such precision.
Avial being the king dish of vegetables takes its place quite high up in an onasadya. Avial is a perfect accompaniment in a sadya, but in my house avial gets made especially during good friday for lunch which is the only meal that day and it has to be vegetarian.
A variety of vegetables can be used in an avial, which includes drumsticks, yam, raw banana, ash gourd (kumbalanga), yard long beans (achinga payar) and more recently carrots, potato and cucumber. In this recipe I have added, in addition, ivy gourd (kovakka) and snake gourd (padavalanga) too.
Presented is her recipe which I use.
Ingredients
1 - Vegetables - 500 g cut in to long rectangular prisms.
Turmeric - 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
2 - Coconut grated - 1/2 cup
Green chilli - 1 or more according to your fiery threshold
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp
3 - Natural yogurt - 1/4 cup
4 - Coconut oil - 2 tbsp
5 - Curry leaves for garnish
Method
- Cook vegetables in just enough water to cover, together with salt and turmeric till done. I add vegetables with longer cooking time like yam and raw banana first followed a few minutes later by potato and carrots and then later the quicker veggies to the pot to avoid a mash effect.
- Meanwhile grind (2) in as little water as possible.
- Add this to the cooked veggies and cook for another few minutes. Avoid the temptation to go heavy on the cooking spoon, so the veggies can retain their shape.
- Add yogurt and stir.
- Remove from hob and add coconut oil and curry leaves mixing with light hands.
Yummmm....
