A vegetable dish made with a collection of seasonal vegetables. It is delicately flavored with coconut, curry leaves and cumin.
Course Side Dish
Cuisine India
Keyword Kerala, sadya, side dish, Vegan, Vegetarian
Prep Time 15 minutesminutes
Cook Time 15 minutesminutes
Total Time 40 minutesminutes
Servings 6servings
Author Syama
Ingredients
Vegetables - See Notes
1Raw banana Small
1Carrots
1VellariSmall piece
1Elephant Yam Small piece
FewLong beans
5 - 6 Jackfriuit Seeds
1Brinjal / Small Egg plant
4 InchPadavalanga / Snake Gourd
5 -6 Kovakka/ Ivy Gourd
2 -3 Drumstick
4 - 5Pearl Onions optional
Sour Agents (Choose One)
1/2 CRaw Mango strips
Tamarind - Marble sized ball
1/2 CSour Curd
To Grind
1/2TspCumin Seeds
1CGrated Coconut Lightly packed
Flavorings
2 - 3Green Chilies To Taste
1/2TspTurmeric
1/2TspSalt To Taste
AFewCurry Leaves
1 - 2TbspCoconut oil
1/2CWater
Instructions
If using tamarind as sour agent soak it in 1/4 C warm water.
Cut the drumstick into 3 " long pieces. Cut the remaining vegetables into 1/2 cm thick strips of around 2 inches in length.
In a pot add the veggies one by one in layers, starting with the ones that need more time to cook first (See Notes). Add the chilies and a couple of curry leaves. Sprinkle salt and turmeric on top and slowly drizzle the water over. Place the lid on and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes.
While the vegetables are cooking grind the coconut and cumin seeds into a coarse paste without adding water.
Open the lid and check the vegetables. If he vegetables aren't cooked through, cook for a few minutes. Add the coconut paste replace the lid and cook on low heat for another 5 minutes. If using pearl onions, crush and add along with the coconut paste.
Remove the lid and add enough tamarind water or curd for sourness and slowly turn the vegetables over so that the spices coat eat piece. .
Taste and adjust salt as needed.
Turn off the heat an drizzle the coconut oil on top. Place a few curry leaves on top and cover with the lid. Let the Avial rest at least 30 minutes to give the flavors a chance to mature.
Notes
I have given a list of traditional vegetables, when not available use vegetable like - beans, carrots, potatoes, and cucumbers in equal quantity.
If using mango as the sour agent, add it as the top layer along with the vegetables, so it can be removed easily if it turns too tart while cooking.
Onions, if using, are not added with the vegetables. Add them along with the coconut paste.
If there are vegetables very different cook times , pre cook the ones with longer cook times before adding the rest.