Avial

Jun 22, 2020

Serves: 4

Why you should make this recipe:

This is my mother’s favourite go to recipe. “AVIAL”, basically means just a mix of whatever vegetable is available.
The story goes that Bhim (of the Mahabharat fame ) during the vanavasa was appointed as a cook in the palace and during the marriage of the King’s daughter where was working the King walked in to taste the food and saw a lot of leftover vegetables and curd. The King immediately showed his disapproval and said that all the vegetables had to be utilized in whatever method possible. Bhim got to work threw all the vegetables in the pot to boil added some coconut and once they were done finished off with curd, lo behold this was the dish that was born.

In my professional opinion, the revered Avial is one of the finest dishes in the Malayalee lexicon and definitely one of the healthiest dishes. My mother to date has a special place in her heart for this dish.

Every Malayalee has a memory of the perfect avial eaten somewhere and mine is from my mother’s hand.

Ingredients

Ash gourd -3/4 cup
Curry Cucumber – 1 cup
Carrot -1
Drumstick -1
Beans -6-7
Potato -1
Raw plantain -1
Raw Mango – few pieces (5-6 medium size pieces)(optional)
Elephant foot yam -100 grams
Curd -2 tbsp

For the grinding

Grated coconut – 1 cup
Cumin seeds /Jeera – 1/2 tsp
Green chilli -3

For the seasoning

Coconut oil – 2-3 tsp
Curry leaves – few

Method

Peel the skin and cut all the vegetables into 2-inch long pieces. And keep all the vegetables separately.
Coarsely grind grated coconut, green chilies, and cumin seeds. Keep it aside.
Vegetables have different cooking times so unlike my mother I add the tubers & drumstick first with a little salt and turmeric and later on add the rest of the vegetables later cover and cook till done
Add the ground coconut and cover again
Add the curd, coconut oil & crush the curry leaves stir it in till u mix it well
The vegetables should be cooked very well and shouldn’t be mushy
I love the taste of the avial when i cover it with banana leaf when it is cooking it just adds a lovely flavor to it