Avial is a traditional dish cooked with mixed vegetables, curd or butter milk seasoned with coconut and curry leaves
Avial Recipe
Avial is the traditional Kerala dish which is prepared with mixed vegetables, curd or butter milk seasoned with coconut and curry leaves. The word, 'avial' in Kerala has a denotative meaning a mixture or assortment from which the dish derived its name. This delicacy has also earned for itself, a key place in Tamil Nadu and Udupi. The taste of avial is making the coconut flavour reflect each time you have them. The vegetables that are often used in making avial are elephant yam, plantain, pumpkin, carrots, beans, Brinjal, cucumber, drum sticks, snake gourd, carrots, beans and so on. The avial which is prepared in Northern Kerala has bitter gourd in it. Holding a significant place in the list of Kerala cuisine, it is an inevitable dish in Onasadya. A simple and easy to make, it is a side dish with other traditional Kerala dishes like Sambhar and is eaten with rice. If it has to be made a main dish, make sure to make a little more gravy which can be done by adding more curd or butter milk. The curd in the avial can also be substituted by tamarind pulp or raw mango which provides the sour taste of curd.
Avial Recipe
Ingredients:
- 1cup - Yam sliced thinly into 11/2" length pieces
- 1cup - Cucumber sliced lengthy into 11/2" thick pieces
- 1cup - Snake gourd sliced into 11/2" length pieces
- 1/4cup - Carrot sliced into into 11/2" length pieces
- 1/2cup - Long runner-beans sliced into 11/2" length pieces
- 2 - Drumstick cut into 2" length pieces
- 4 - sour mango pieces
- ½ tsp. - Turmeric powder
- Salt to taste
- ½ - quantity Grated coconut
- 5 - Green chilies
- ½ tsp. - Cumin seeds
- 2 sprigs - Curry leaves
- 3tbs. - Coconut oil
- ½ cup - Water
- ½ tsp. – Mustard seeds
Method:
- Coarsely grind the coconut, green chilies and cumin seeds. Keep it aside.
- Clean and cut the vegetables.
- Taka a thick bottom vessel and to it, add the vegetables and cook them in a low flame.
- Add minimal amount of water to make sure that the vegetables are finely cooked, not mashed.
- Once the vegetables are half-cooked, add the raw mango pieces and cook again for a few minutes.
- Add turmeric powder, salt and stir the ingredients well. Make sure you check the vegetables so that they do not get overcooked.
- Once all the vegetables are cooked well, add the coconut paste and stir well.
- Remove from fire. Season the dish with coconut oil and curry leaves.
Avial is a Kerala delicacy which is an inevitable part of all its celebrations. Hope this article tempts you try out this delicacy.