Avial or aviyal is synonymous with Kerala cuisine. It is a coconut based mix vegetable recipe. This Kerala style veg curry is a signature dish.Yummy, nutritious and gluten-free. Although most of recipes from Kerala are non-vegetarian, there are some gems in veg option too.Usually, people feel its only Kerala fish curries, prawn curry with coconut milk, seafood that rule the menu. Vegans and vegetarians do not despair.
There are many light curries like thoran, veg korma and chutneys like pineapple pachadi and kerala parotta which give you a great meal. Another great recipe is appam with kadala curry.Finish your mains with the lovely delicious vermicelli paayasam and have a good nap. Avial is one of the best veg curry for Kerala parota.
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What is Avial eaten with?
We eat it with rice or roti. This avial curry is very light and delicately spiced. Traditionally, we eat it with adai or pancakes. We traditionally eat it during 'Sadya' and enjoy it with appam. Also, serve it at a wedding meal.
Equipment
- Blender
- Saucepan
Ingredients
Mixed vegetables:
- carrots
- elephant yam/potato
- drumsticks/ moringa peeled and cut into pieces
- zucchini/okra
- beans
- turmeric powder
- Salt as per taste
- water
- curd or yogurt (Replace curd with lemon juice or coconut curd if you want to make it vegan)
For coconut paste:
- cumin seeds
- green chillies
- freshly grated coconut (use ¼ cup coconut milk if using dry coconut)
For tempering:
- oil
- mustard seeds
- Few curry leaves
Refer to recipe card for details.
How to make avial?
- Boil hard vegetables in water with turmeric and salt until semi cooked.
2. Add soft vegetables and cook for few minutes.
3. Meanwhile grind the coconut, cumin, chilly to make a paste and add it to pan. Cook for a few minutes.
4. Mix and add the tempering,turn off the heat,add yogurt.
Serve aviyal recipe, hot with red rice or any rice of your choice. You can also serve it with malabar parota.
Variations
You may also make the veg avial recipe, vegan. Just replace curd with lemon juice. You may also add coconut curd instead of dairy yogurt. Add any vegetables of your choice and available at home and make it your own special recipe.
The lightness and taste of this curry will surprise you. Simple and fulfilling healthy yet not over the top curry. It is quite a change from all spicy sambhars and rasams you associate with South Indian cuisine.
Substitutions
Avial vegetables are generally, those which are available locally. You can cook yam, potatoes, brinjals, carrots, beans together. Later, mix coconut paste and yogurt to give it a nutty flavor.
You can also use frozen vegetables instead of fresh.Moringa, beans and okra are commonly available in frozen section.
Serving suggestion: Serve avial curry recipe dry or as a gravy dish. It is such a delicate dish. If you reheat this, it loses the charm. It has to be prepared fresh and eaten right away.
Kerala cuisine
Do try some vegetarian light recipes from God's own country:
Avial
Equipment
- saucepan
- Blender
Ingredients
Mixed vegetables:
- ½ cup carrots cut length wise
- ½ cup chopped elephant yam/potato
- ½ cup drumsticks/moringa peeled and cut into pieces
- ½ cup chopped zucchini/okra/any vegetable
- ½ cup beans optional
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- Salt as per taste
- 2 cup water
- 2 tablespoon curd or yogurt
- Replace curd with lemon juice or coconut curd if you want to make it vegan
For coconut paste:
- ½ tablespoon cumin seeds
- green chilly
- ¾ th cup freshly grated coconut use ¼ cup coconut milk if using dry coconut
For tempering:
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
- Few curry leaves
Instructions
- Boil water with salt and turmeric in a pan. Add all the chopped vegetables.
- Boil the hard vegetables first, then the softer ones. Cook until soft.
- Make sure you do not overcook the vegetables.
- Mix the cooked vegetables with coconut paste.
- Heat oil in a pan for tempering. add mustard seeds and curry leaves.
- Add to above vegetables.Turn off the heat and add curd after 5 mins.
- Serve fresh with rice or malabar parota.
Notes
Instead of yogurt, you can make avial with coconut milk or coconut curd also.If you like it sour,add a dash of lime while serving.
You cannot boil this curry as then curd,veggies and water will separate.Hence have it fresh or reheat to a minimum.
Nutrition
FAQ
Aviyal recipe has a mention in Mahabharata. Ballava or Prince Bheem invented it during the 'Agyatavasa' exile.He was appointed as a chef in King Virata's palace. However, he did not know what to cook. Hence, mixed all the vegetables together and invented this yummy dish. Avial recipe also has a mention in ancient Sangam poems.
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