Avial

Avial or kerala vegetarian avial is a an essential part of kerala vegetarian feast which is a supposed to be invented by Bhima, one of Pandava brothers. It can have thick or semi-thick consistency. Thick avial is popular in our area but semi-thick avial are found to be common in some part of Kerala.

Avial is a semi-thick side dish made with a variety of vegetables. Any type of vegetables can be used to make avial. I usually prepare with left over vegetables. This is one of the favorite dish of my family. A variety of avial can be found like chakka avial, cashew avial and also there is non-avials like mutta avial and meen avial. We will discuss about this later. In this post we will discuss the normal vegetable avial.

Any vegetable can be used to make avial. But remember one thing, different vegetables have different cooking points, For example, yam takes more time to cook compared to other vegetables like carrots and beans. So first cook yam, add other soft vegetables when the yam is half done. 

Kerala style avial recipe Author: Anju Aneesh Recipe type: Side dish Cuisine: India, South India, Kerala Preparation time: 20 minutes / Cooking time: 20 minutes / Total time: 40 minutes Ingredients 1 medium carrot 1 drumstick 6 long beans 3 french beans 1/2 raw banana 1 potato 4 to 5 springs curry leaves To grind 1 cup grated coconut 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder 2 green chilies 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds or jeerakam 4 garlic cloves (optional) 4 shallots For seasoning 2 tablespoon coconut oil Direction of preparation of Kerala avial Wash, peel and cut all vegetables into equal sized pieces.  Crush green chilies, shallots and cumin seeds first, then add grated coconut and crush again. Don't make a fine paste. In a thick bottomed pan, cook chopped vegetables with 1 1/2 cup water and salt.  When the vegetables are cooked and water reduced, add ground coconut and mix all vegetables very gently, cook covered for  two minutes. Add curd and mix well. switch off the stove immediately. Season with coconut oil and mix again. Cover with lid and keep it for ten to fifteen minutes.

Let us go to the step by step preparation of kerala avial

1. Wash, peel and cut all vegetables in equal sized pieces. 
   

   
2. Crush green chilies, shallots and cumin seeds.
   Then add grated coconut and crush again. Don't make a fine paste, crushing will be enough.
   
   
   
   
   
   
3. In a thick bottomed pan, cook chopped vegetables with 1 1/2 cups water.
   
4. Add salt and cook covered.
5. 
6. When the vegetables are cooked and water reduced, add ground coconut. 
   

   

   
   
7. Mix all vegetables very gently, cook covered for  two minutes.
   

   
8. 
   

   Add curd and mix well. switch off the stove immediately.
   

   

   
   
9. 
   
   Season with coconut oil mix again. Cover with lid and keep it for ten to fifteen minutes.
   
10. Kerala style vegetable avial is ready to serve.

My notes on avial

1. Any type of vegetables can be used to make avial. 
2. Since all vegetables need different time for cooking, cook each vegetable separately. Here the vegetables I used have almost same cooking time, hence added them together. 
3. If you are using raw banana and brinjal, soak them separately in water to avoid discolouration.
4. Cut all vegetables  in equal size.
5. If you want to add mango, add it only after the vegetables done well.