Avial

Avial is a thick mixture of vegetables and coconut, seasoned with coconut oil and curry leaves.

It is considered an essential part of the Sadya, the Keralite vegetarian feast.Some people prefer to skip curd or substitute it with raw mango or tamarind pulp. This dish can be made into a gravy or be made into a semi-solid side dish. It is generally eaten with rice

I was quite happy after making this dish. It’s not everyday that I make an aviyal and it turns out great.

I had bought the avial pack(cut vegetables pack for making avial) from BigBasket, an online grocery store.I should say that it was pretty much easier for me and saved me the trouble of going to shop and most importantly, spared me from the confusion on the quantity of veggies to be bought.

Ingredients

1/2 cup of carrots strips

1/2 cup of snake gourd strips

1/2 cup of elephant yam strips

1/2 cup of old cucumber strips

6 3" long drumstick pieces

2 cups of grated coconut

2-3 shallots

1/2 cup sour curd

1 tsp of cumin, jeerakam

1 tsp of red chilli powder

2-3 green chillies

1/2 tsp of turmeric pwoder

2 tbsp of coconut oil

A few curry leaves

Method:

1)Cook the vegetables with salt, powders and 1 tbsp of oil.:- There is no need to add water if you have washed it just before cooking.

2)Grind together 1 tbsp of coconut, cumin seeds and curd, till it becomes smooth paste.

3)Add remaining coconut, green chillies, small onions and a few curry leaves and finish grinding in one or two turn.

4)Add enough salt and mix well.

5)Pour this solution into the cooked vegetables and just heat it through. :- Don`t cook too much.

6)Remove from fire before boiling.

7)Make a small hole in the middle of curry with a spoon.

8)Fill it with curry leaves and add the remaining coconut oil.

9)Cover it with the gravy.

10)Keep the lid closed.

11)Mix before you use.

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