Flavorful Avial or aviyal is synonymous with Kerala cuisine. It is a coconut based mixed vegetable curry. This Kerala style veg curry is a traditional south indian dish which is a medley of vegetables. 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 dishes in Kerala sadya which you can enjoy.
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.
Equipment
- Blender
- Saucepan
Ingredients
Mixed vegetables:
- carrots
- elephant yam/potato
- drumsticks/ moringa peeled and cut into pieces
- zucchini/okra
- green 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 chilies
- 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 coconut, cumin, green chillies to make a paste and add it to pan. Cook the ground coconut mixture 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.
Related recipes
Do try some vegetarian light recipes from God's own country:
kerala style avial | kerala avial recipe
Equipment
- saucepan
- Blender
Ingredients
Mixed vegetables:
- ½ cup carrots cut length wise
- ½ cup elephant yam/potato chopped
- ½ cup drumsticks/moringa peeled and cut into pieces
- ½ cup zucchini/okra/any vegetable chopped
- ½ cup french beans chopped
- 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 chilies
- ¾ 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.
Video
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
Variations & Substitutions
You may also make the veg avial recipe, vegan. Just replace curd with lemon juice. Add coconut curd instead of dairy yogurt. You can add a a variety of vegetables available at home and make it your own special recipe. Ivy gourd, snake gourd,small onions, raw banana, taro root, ash gourd, long beans can be added. 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.
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.
FAQ
We eat this popular dish with rice or roti. This avial curry is very light and delicately spiced. Traditionally, we eat it with adai or pancakes on a plaintain leaf. We traditionally eat it during ' onam sadya' and enjoy it with appam or coconut rice. Also, serve it at a wedding meal and special occasions.
Aviyal recipe has a mention in Mahabharata. The legend says Ballava or Prince Bheem from the pandava brothers invented it during the 14-year exile.He was appointed as a chef in King Virata's palace in the Agyatavasa. However, he did not know what to cook. Hence, mixed all the vegetables together and invented this simple recipe. Avial recipe also has a mention in ancient Sangam poems.
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.
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