Kerala Aviyal

Aviyal – a traditional Kerala dish is practically a cooked salad ,with different veggies ,coconut, cumin and dressings like yogurt and coconut oil .This veggie cococoction plays a major role in Kerala sadyas too.Aviyal is a mild dish which goes well with rice and also very nutritious . The uniqueness of avial is that this tasty dish is usually made of all the leftover vegetables.

The traditional aviyal generally uses common vegetables in Kerala like Plantain(Ethakka),Elephant Yam(Chena),Long string beans(Achinga Payaru),Snake gourd(padavalenga),Cucumber(Vellarikka),DrumSticks(Muringakka) ,Raw Mango(Pacha maanga) and Carrots.In northern Kerala they even put Bitter Gourd(Paavakka) .
My recipe is a combined one from both my amma(Kottayam) and my mom-in-law(Trivandrum) with the veggies available here in U.S.And it goes like..

Ingredients:-
Green Plantain – 2
Frozen Cut Yams- 1 cup
Carrot – 1 big
Green Beans/Long String beans-3
Zucchini(Instead of cucumber)-1/2 cup
Potato -1/2 cup
Drumsticks -2
Green Chillies – 4
Indian Brinjal -1
Raw Mango -1 slice
Turmeric Powder – 1/2 tsp
Salt – as needed

Needed veggies

For Grinding:-
Grated Coconut – 1 and 1/2 cup
Cumin Seeds – 1/2 tsp
Chopped Gralic -1 tsp
Pearl Onions(Kunjulli)- 3
Curry Leaves -1/2 sprig

For Garnishing:-
Curd – 2 tbsp(Optional)
Coconut Oil- 1 tbsp
Curry Leaves -1/2 sprig

Method:-
Cut all the veggies lengthwise of 1 inch length .Put all the veggies(except raw mango ) into a cooking pan and add water upto 3/4th of the veggies.Add salt & turmeric into it and mix well.Close the lid and cook it on a medium heat stirring in between.When the veggies are half done add mango slice into it.(The veggies can also cook in a pressure cooker if you want.)Grind together coconut,cumin seeds,garlic,onions & curry leaves.Once the vegetables are cooked well,add the ground paste and cook for few minutes.(Do not overcook as it can get dried up quickly).Switch it off when its done and add curd and mix wel.Now garnish it with coconut oil and curry leaves.Close the lid and let the aroma spread into the curry.
(Note:-You don’t have to use the curd,if you feel the raw mango will give necessary sourness .I like the taste of curd in it,so I normally add both .Also you can substitute tamarind water with curd)

Kerala Aviyal

Posted by Annita