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Avial
Mixed vegetables in coconut yogurt
Kerala's mixed vegetables in a coconut, cumin and green chilli paste, soured with curd and finished with coconut oil
Avial is a mainstay of the Kerala sadya, the vegetarian feast served on a banana leaf at Onam and weddings. Batons of vegetables (raw banana, drumstick, yam, carrot, beans, ash gourd) are cooked just tender, then coated in a coarse paste of fresh coconut, cumin and green chilli, soured with curd and finished with raw coconut oil and curry leaves. It's thick rather than saucy, mild, tangy and fragrant. Serve with rice and sambar, or with adai. Chef's tip: cut every vegetable into the same 5 cm batons and add them in order of hardness, so they're all tender together and nothing turns to mush.
- Total time
- 40 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the vegetables
- 1 raw (green) bananapeeled, cut into 5 cm batons
- 3 ½ oz elephant foot yampeeled, cut into 5 cm batons
- 2 drumsticks (moringa pods) (optional)cut into 5 cm lengths
- 1 carrotcut into 5 cm batons
- 2 ⅞ oz green beanscut into 5 cm lengths
- 5 ½ oz ash gourd or chayotepeeled, cut into 5 cm batons
- ¼ tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp salt
- ¾ cup water
For the coconut paste
- 4 oz fresh grated coconutor frozen, thawed
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
To finish
- 5 ½ oz plain yogurt (curd)slightly sour, whisked
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Put the hardest vegetables in a wide, heavy pan first: 3 ½ oz elephant foot yam, 1 raw (green) banana and 2 drumsticks (moringa pods) if using, with ¼ tsp ground turmeric, 1 tsp salt and ¾ cup water. Cover and cook on a medium heat for 5 minutes.
5 minStep 2: Add 1 carrot, 2 ⅞ oz green beans and 5 ½ oz ash gourd or chayote, stir gently, cover and cook for 5–6 minutes more until everything is just tender when pierced but still holds its shape. Most of the water should have gone; if there's a lot left, cook uncovered for a minute.
6 minStep 3: Meanwhile, grind 4 oz fresh grated coconut, 3 green chillies and 1 tsp cumin seeds with 2–3 tablespoons of water to a coarse paste, pulsing rather than blending smooth. Avial's coconut should have texture.
2 minStep 4: Add the coconut paste to the vegetables and fold through gently with a flat spoon, so the batons don't break. Cook on a low heat for 2–3 minutes until the raw coconut smell goes.
3 minStep 5: Take the pan off the heat and wait 1 minute, then fold in 5 ½ oz plain yogurt (curd). Adding curd over the flame makes it split and go grainy.
Step 6: Drizzle 2 tbsp coconut oil over the top and scatter with 15 fresh curry leaves crushed in your hand. Cover with a lid for 5 minutes so the raw oil and leaves perfume the dish, then mix gently and serve warm with rice.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 190 kcal
- Protein
- 4 g
- Carbs
- 18 g
- Fat
- 12 g
- Fibre
- 5 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does avial take?
- About 40 minutes in total: 25 minutes to prepare and 15 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of carrot?
- Parsnip or sweet potato, same weight.
- What can I use instead of ground turmeric?
- Leave it out (it mostly adds colour).
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