Aviyal
Aviyal, or Avial, is a popular and traditional dish from the Indian states of Kerala and Tamil Nadu. It's a vegetable stir fry made with a mixture of different vegetables, coconut, and seasoned with coconut oil and curry leaves. It's a key component in a traditional Kerala Sadya (feast) and is often served with rice.
Ingredients
- Mixed Vegetables Half carrot, 1 raw banana, ½ snack gourd, 4 special green chillies, ½ cucumber, 4-5 cluster beans,1 brinjal, 1 green brinjal, or vegetables of your choice cut into julienne
- 1 cup grated coconut
- 2-3 green chilies
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 3-4 cloves of garlic
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
- A few curry leaves
- Small lemon-sized tamarind
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Soak the tamarind in ¼ cup of water and set it aside for 15 minutes. Alternatively, you can also use tamarind paste.
- Heat coconut oil, add mustard seeds, and a few curry leaves in a large pot, and let them splutter.
- Add the mixed vegetables, turmeric powder, salt, and tamarind water to the vegetables.
- Cover and cook the vegetables until they are just tender or let them become a little mushy, depending on your preference.
- Pulse the grated coconut, green chillies, garlic, and cumin seeds into a coarse paste. Do not add water.
- Add the coconut paste to the cooked vegetables and mix well.
- Cook on low heat for a few minutes, allowing the flavours to blend.
- Pour I tbsp of coconut oil and some fresh curry leaves over the Aviyal and mix well.
- Serve hot with steamed rice or as part of a larger meal.
Notes
To add Yogurt: In a bowl, whisk the yoghurt until it is smooth and creamy. This helps in preventing curdling when added to the hot vegetables.
Remove the pot from heat and let the mixture cool slightly (this is important to prevent the yoghurt from curdling). Stir in 1 cup of yoghurt/curd. Slowly add the whisked yoghurt to the pot, stirring continuously to incorporate it well with the vegetables. Mix well. Turn the heat to low and gently heat the mixture, stirring occasionally. Do not let it boil, as boiling can cause the yoghurt to curdle.
Use yoghurt that is just starting to turn slightly sour. This slight sourness will enhance the flavours without making the dish overly tangy. If your yoghurt is very fresh and lacks any tang, you might miss the characteristic flavour of aviyal. In this case, you can leave the yoghurt out at room temperature for a few hours to let it develop a slight tang before using it. Always taste the yoghurt before adding it to the aviyal to gauge its sourness level. Adjust the amount of yoghurt based on its sourness. If it's quite tangy, use a little less; if it's mildly sour, you can use the full amount. If the yoghurt is very sour, you can mix it with an equal part of fresh yoghurt to mellow the tanginess.
Julienne cut: Julienne cutting is slicing vegetables into thin, matchstick-like strips. For aviyal, a traditional South Indian dish, the vegetables are usually cut into uniform, thin strips to ensure even cooking and a consistent texture.
You can vary the vegetables according to your preference and availability.
