Avial | How to make Kerala Style Avial

Name: Avial | How to make Kerala Style Avial
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 3 cups Mixed Vegetables - Cut into 2 inch long batons {I used Drumsticks; Homemade thick curd - 1 cup; 1.5 tsp Salt (or to taste); 1/4 tsp Turmeric (optional, I didn't add); 2 sprig curry leaves; 1 tsp coconut oil; 1 cup Freshly grated coconut; 1 TBSP Cumin seeds (Jeera); 5 Green chillies (adjust spice)

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Avial is a traditional dish from Kerala, made with an assortment of native veggies simmered in a spicy coconut paste. Served as part of the Onam Sadya (festive meal)

History of the dish Avial

A dish that is common to Udupi, Kerala and Tamil cuisine. A dish that is believed to have been 'invented' by Bhima while he donned the role of "Ballav the cook" during the exile in the Mahabharata.. and its word also being used to denote an assortment or a mixture : Avial - a slightly tangy coconut-gravy-curd mixture filled with veggies and nutrition, and yes, a riot of colours right on ur plate. I heard from a friend's mom who once said that the real 'Sadhana' (devotion) we have towards food comes from observing the medley of colours of the dishes that are put on our plate - be it the green colour of okra, the yellow of dal, the red of rasam, the white of curd : Wonder how many of us do that even once a month / year , let alone on an everyday basis.

Avial also has a main place in the traditional Kerala Sadhya (or sit down meal) where it is served with Manga Pachadi, Erisshery , Mambazha Prathaman, Achinga Payaru Thoran and host of other special items for the Onam festival

What to serve with Avial

This is a great side dish to plain Steamed rice or even Adai Dosa (Lentil Savoury Pancakes). I personally love it with Idiyappam (steamed string hoppers)

Avial is a traditional dish from Kerala, made with an assortment of native veggies simmered in a spicy coconut paste. Served as part of the Onam Sadya (festive meal)

What all veggies go into Avial

Back to today's Avial. My family loves this loaded with veggies, therefore used 3 cups of chopped vegetables. You may increase or decrease the quantity and adjust the masala gravy accordingly. While you can customise Avial lightly, mostly native veggies like ashgourd, drumsticks, Elephant foot (yam), sweet potato, flat beans are used, and in the Palghat / Kerala versions made in Tambrahm households, brinjal and shallots are also not used strictly.

Tips to make the best Kerala Avial:

Use freshest veggies , and add them in the order of which takes longest to cook. For eg: french beans and carrot take longer so add them first , and towards the end add raw banana and yam as they take very little time to cook. But cook all veggies only till 75-80% done, else they turn mushy.
Adding a ladle of curd while making the paste gives a creamy texture to the avial
Some recipes add rice flour to the avial to thicken it, this is used when buttermilk is added instead of thick curd - this also yields a slightly runny avial.
Some recipe add rice to the grinding paste, so it adds a natural thickness to the curry
Some recipes use some tamarind as souring agent if the curd is too sweet.

Preparation time: 20 mins, Cooking time: 20 mins, Serves : 4 generously

Cuisine - Kerala ; Course - Side dish / accompaniment to boiled rice / Kerala Matta Rice

Ingredients to make Avial:

3 cups Mixed Vegetables - Cut into 2 inch long batons {I used Drumsticks, Raw banana, arbi (Colocasia), White pumpkin,Yellow Pumpkin ,Carrots, French beans, Sweet Potato}
Homemade thick curd - 1 cup
1.5 teaspoon Salt (or to taste)
¼ teaspoon Turmeric (optional, I didn't add)
2 sprig curry leaves
1 teaspoon coconut oil

For the Spice paste:

1 cup Freshly grated coconut
1 tablespoon Cumin seeds (Jeera)
6 Green chillies (adjust spice)

How to Make Avial:

Wash all veggies, prep them and cut them into equal sized 2 inch batons (that aren't too thick or too thin)
Steam them with little water, half the salt, 2 slit green chillies and few coriander leaves for 7-8 mins (or till 80% cooked), switch off the flame.
In a mixie, grind the coconut, cumin and rest of the green chillies with a handful of curry leaves to a smooth paste, Add ¼ cup of curd to grind this paste
Transfer this paste to the veggies, lightly mix coating the coconut cumin chilli paste evenly. Simmer for 1-2 mins
Finish with a drizzle of coconut oil, rest of the curd and curry leaves.
Serve hot with steamed rice and Kerala Pappadam

PIN FOR LATER

Avial made with thick curd, buttermilk, turmeric & tempering (as a variation)

Tips:

If the gravy turns too watery, mix some 2 teaspoon of rice flour in 1 tablespoon of water, and add this to the gravy. In fact, many households grind 1 tablespoon of soaked rice in the masala paste itself, thereby adding an invisible thickening agent.
If the curd is not sour enough, and you need some tang, add ¼ lemon sized tamarind to the masala paste.
Make sure you drain the water from the boiled veggies, else you will end up with a very watery gravy which will dilute the masala and the curd mixture will lose its texture.