AVIAL - A celebration of vegetables

AVIAL

A simple South Indian fare of vegetables that is cooked with mildly spiced ground coconut paste that is perfect for Vata and Pitta pacification.
This dish is from the southernmost state in India called Kerala.
Kerala also known as God’s own Country is a lush land of natural abundance. Beaches lined with tall Coconut trees that sway dreamily in ocean breeze. A land of arm tropical weather that offers an unbelievable assortment of vegetables, spices, and herbs. This land is why the trade route for the most precious coveted spices such as Pepper, Cardamom, Cloves and Connamon began early on.

This state is a short distance away from my hometown and therefore many of our recipes overlap closely. I am sharing a link here to a video of how it is prepared back home in my town.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=30baqoBO-IA
If we were to time travel to my hometown a few decades ago, this is how we would find my grandmother making it. From harvesting the vegetables in the morning to serving it piping hot for lunch as we sat hungrily on the floor to eat from our banana leaf plates!
This Summer when visiting India I was to meet the man in the video and do a brief chit chat with him for the school but alas it did not happen with much on and I hope to do that next time. Till then I hope you enjoy watching his video and try to recreate it at home

INGREDIENTS
Mixed Vegetables - 2 - 21/2 cups in total when chopped.
Pick all Fall mildly flavored vegetables that you can find fresh in your market.
Roots and Tubers do great. No extra soft, sour, or very strong-tasting vegetables.
I have used these typical vegetables that are easily found in any Indian Grocery store, Pumpkin. White Ash gourd. Potato. Sweet Potato. Yam. Ivy Gourd. Beans, Carrots. Raw Green Banana.
Frozen section - Suran (Elephant Foot Yam - 1 packet (optional)
Frozen Drumstick
Pick what you can find. You can even make the same dish with just one or two vegetables.


For the ground masala
Frozen Fresh Coconut - 1 packet.
Coconut Oil - few tsps.
Cumin
Curry leaves
Green Chillies

Yoghurt (or Vegan alternative) - Few tbsps (optional)

METHOD:

  1. Take a wide bottom pan and add to it 1/2 a cup of water. Layer the vegetables as shown in the video making sure the hard vegetables go at the bottom and softer ones on the top.

  2. Cover and cook on medium to high flame till almost done. (Check water as needed. You want to make sure you don’t burn the vegetables. Always have atleast 1/4-1/2 cup water at the bottom.)

  3. Meanwhile grind the masala ingredients together till fine.

  4. Add the ground mix to the almost done vegetables. Salt to taste. 1/4 tsp Turmeric optional.

  5. Cover and cook till done on low to medium flame.

  6. Add fresh curry leaves. Cover and cook for another minute or so till it releases its flavour.

  7. Switch off gas. Drizzle a few tsps or raw virgin Coconut oil.

  8. Cover and keep aside for a few minutes.

  9. You may add a few spoons of Yogurt at this point if you like. Don’t cook after adding Yogurt.

    Serve hot with rice.

Supriya Kini