Avial is one of the essential dishes of the Onam sadya and appears on almost every Kerala feast. A popular story credits Bhima, the Pandava, with inventing it while working as a cook in disguise, throwing together whatever vegetables were at hand. Regional versions differ: central Kerala uses curd for sourness, while some northern homes use raw mango or tamarind.
The vegetables are cut into finger-length batons and cooked until just tender, then coated with a coarsely ground coconut paste. The dish is thick, not watery, mildly spiced, tangy and fragrant with raw coconut oil and curry leaves. It is eaten with rice as part of a spread, and with adai in Tamil Nadu.
At a glance
| Region | Kerala |
|---|---|
| Cuisine | Kerala |
| Diet | Vegetarian |
| Course | Side dish |
| Prep time | 25 minutes |
| Cook time | 20 minutes |
| Total time | 45 minutes |
| Serves | 5 |
| Spice level | Mild |
| Difficulty | Medium |
| Gluten-free | Yes |
| Key ingredients | mixed vegetables / coconut / curd / coconut oil / curry leaves |
Ingredients
For the vegetables
- 4 cups mixed vegetables cut into 5 cm batons: raw banana, elephant foot yam, ash gourd, drumstick, carrot, French beans, snake gourd, cucumber
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup water
For the coconut paste
- 1.25 cups grated coconut
- 3-4 green chillies
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 2 shallots
To finish
- 1/2 cup thick curd, lightly sour, whisked
- 2 sprigs curry leaves
- 2 tbsp raw coconut oil
Method
- Cut all vegetables into batons of similar length and thickness. Keep the raw banana in water to stop it darkening.
- Put the yam and raw banana, which take longest, in a wide pan with turmeric, salt and 1/2 cup water. Cover and cook on medium heat for 5 minutes.
- Add carrot, beans and drumstick and cook covered for 4 minutes. Then add ash gourd, snake gourd and cucumber and cook another 4-5 minutes, until all vegetables are tender but hold their shape.
- Meanwhile pulse the coconut, green chillies, cumin and shallots in a grinder with a splash of water to a coarse paste. It should not be smooth.
- Add the coconut paste to the vegetables and fold gently. Cook on low heat for 3-4 minutes, uncovered, until any remaining water dries up and the raw coconut smell goes.
- Switch off the heat and let it cool for a minute, then stir in the whisked curd gently.
- Crush the curry leaves in your hand, scatter them over and drizzle with raw coconut oil. Cover and leave for 10 minutes before serving.
Tips
- Stir gently with a flat spatula or by shaking the pan; avial vegetables should not be mashed.
- Add curd off the heat so it does not split.
- Unrefined virgin coconut oil, added raw at the end, gives avial its signature aroma.
Serve with
Rice with sambar and pappadam as part of a sadya, or with adai.