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Tag: Vegetarian

  • Ulava Charu

    Ulava charu is an old, rustic dish from the Krishna and Guntur districts of Andhra Pradesh, made from horse gram, a hardy lentil grown in dry areas. Traditionally the horse gram was boiled for hours and the cooking liquid strained off, then simmered down with tamarind and spices. It is believed to warm the body and was popular in winter, and it has since become a speciality of upscale Andhra restaurants.

    The charu is dark brown, thick and glossy, with an earthy, nutty, slightly smoky flavour balanced by the sourness of tamarind. It is mixed with hot rice and finished with a spoon of fresh cream or butter, which mellows the tang. Some people eat it like a soup. It is also sold in jars at some Andhra sweet and pickle shops.

    At a glance

    RegionAndhra Pradesh
    CuisineAndhra
    DietVegetarian
    CourseSoup
    Prep time15 minutes
    Cook time90 minutes
    Total time105 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelMedium
    DifficultyMedium
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientshorse gram / tamarind / onion / garlic / cream

    Ingredients

    For the horse gram stock

    • 1 cup horse gram (ulavalu), soaked overnight
    • 6 cups water
    • 1/2 tsp salt

    For the charu

    • 2 tbsp oil
    • 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
    • 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
    • 1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds
    • 2 dry red chillies
    • 1 sprig curry leaves
    • 1 medium onion, finely chopped
    • 6 garlic cloves, crushed
    • 2 green chillies, slit
    • 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
    • 1 tsp red chilli powder
    • 1 tsp coriander powder
    • 1/2 tsp cumin powder
    • lemon-sized tamarind, soaked in 1 cup water
    • 1 tsp grated jaggery
    • salt to taste

    To serve

    • fresh cream or white butter
    • finely chopped onion

    Method

    1. Pressure cook the soaked horse gram with salt and 6 cups water for 10-12 whistles on medium heat, or simmer in an open pot for 2-3 hours, until very soft.
    2. Strain the cooking liquid into a bowl, pressing the beans lightly. Keep the cooked horse gram for a sundal or salad. Grind 2-3 tbsp of the cooked beans with a little stock and add to the liquid for body.
    3. Squeeze and strain the tamarind to get thick extract.
    4. Heat oil in a heavy pan. Splutter mustard seeds, then add cumin, fenugreek and red chillies. Add curry leaves, onion, garlic and green chillies and fry on medium heat for 5 minutes until golden.
    5. Add turmeric, chilli powder, coriander and cumin powder and fry for 30 seconds.
    6. Pour in the horse gram stock and tamarind extract, add jaggery and salt, and bring to a boil.
    7. Simmer uncovered on low heat for 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it reduces to a thick, dark, glossy consistency that coats the back of a spoon.
    8. Serve hot over rice, topped with a spoon of cream or butter and chopped onion.

    Tips

    • Long, slow reduction is what develops the deep colour and flavour; do not rush it.
    • The charu keeps well for 3-4 days in the fridge and thickens further.
    • Horse gram must be well soaked and fully cooked; it is a very hard lentil.

    Serve with

    Hot rice with fresh cream and onions, or as a soup with a dollop of butter.

  • Tomato Pappu

    Pappu, the Telugu word for dal, appears on the table every single day in Andhra homes, and tomato pappu is probably the most common of all. Pappu annam with ghee, dal rice, is the first solid food for many Telugu children and remains a comfort meal for adults. It is simple and fast, and every home makes it a little differently.

    Toor dal is cooked with tomatoes, onion and green chillies until soft, then mashed to a thick, creamy consistency. The tomatoes give a gentle sourness, a little tamarind is added if they are mild, and the tempering of mustard, cumin, garlic and red chillies brings it alive. It is eaten with rice and ghee, with an Andhra pickle on the side.

    At a glance

    RegionAndhra Pradesh
    CuisineAndhra
    DietVegetarian
    CourseMain course
    Prep time10 minutes
    Cook time25 minutes
    Total time35 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelMedium
    DifficultyEasy
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientstoor dal / tomato / green chillies / garlic

    Ingredients

    For the dal

    • 3/4 cup toor dal, washed
    • 3 ripe tomatoes, chopped
    • 1 small onion, chopped
    • 3 green chillies, slit
    • 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
    • 1 tsp salt
    • 2.5 cups water
    • 1 tsp tamarind pulp (only if tomatoes are mild)

    For the tadka

    • 1 tbsp ghee
    • 1 tsp oil
    • 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
    • 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
    • 2 dry red chillies, broken
    • 6 garlic cloves, crushed
    • 1 sprig curry leaves
    • 1/4 tsp asafoetida
    • 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
    • 2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves

    Method

    1. Put the dal, tomatoes, onion, green chillies, turmeric and water in a pressure cooker. Cook for 4 whistles on medium heat, until the dal is very soft.
    2. Let the pressure drop naturally. Add salt and tamarind if using, and mash the dal with a wooden pappu gutti or whisk until smooth, with the tomatoes broken down.
    3. Return the cooker to the stove and simmer for 3-4 minutes on low heat. Add hot water if it is too thick; it should be pourable but creamy.
    4. For the tadka, heat ghee and oil in a small pan. Add mustard seeds and let them splutter, then add cumin and red chillies.
    5. Add the garlic and fry on medium heat until golden, about 1 minute. Add curry leaves and asafoetida, switch off the heat and stir in the chilli powder.
    6. Pour the tadka over the dal immediately, cover for a minute to trap the aroma, then stir in coriander and serve.

    Tips

    • Use very ripe red tomatoes for the best colour and tang.
    • Mashing well is important; pappu should be smooth and creamy, not soupy.
    • Adding chilli powder off the heat keeps it bright red without burning.

    Serve with

    Hot rice with ghee, avakaya or gongura pickle, and appadam.

  • Qubani ka Meetha

    Qubani ka meetha is a classic Hyderabadi dessert made from dried apricots, which reached the Deccan from Afghanistan and Central Asia. It is a must at Hyderabadi weddings, where it is served as the final sweet course, often next to double ka meetha. The small, hard, light-brown dried apricots with their stones are essential to the true taste.

    The apricots are soaked, stoned and cooked slowly with sugar until they break down into a thick, glossy, amber-brown compote with some pieces still whole. It tastes deep, tangy-sweet and slightly caramel. It is served warm or chilled, topped with cream, malai or custard, and the cracked kernels from the stones are sometimes used as garnish.

    At a glance

    RegionTelangana
    CuisineHyderabadi
    DietVegetarian
    CourseDessert
    Prep time15 minutes
    Cook time35 minutes
    Total time50 minutes
    Serves6
    Spice levelMild
    DifficultyEasy
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientsdried apricots / sugar / cream / almonds

    Ingredients

    • 250 g dried Hyderabadi apricots (qubani), with stones
    • 4 cups water for soaking
    • 1/2 cup sugar, adjust to taste
    • 1 tsp lemon juice
    • 1/2 cup fresh cream or thick malai
    • 10 almonds, blanched and sliced

    Method

    1. Wash the apricots well and soak them in 4 cups water overnight, or for at least 8 hours, until plump and soft.
    2. Remove the stones by squeezing each apricot gently; keep the soaking water. Crack a few stones and remove the kernels for garnish if you like.
    3. Put the apricots and the soaking water in a heavy pan and bring to a boil. Simmer on medium-low heat for 15 minutes until very soft.
    4. Mash about half the apricots with a spoon, leaving the rest in pieces.
    5. Add the sugar and cook on low heat for another 15-20 minutes, stirring often, until it thickens to a jammy consistency and turns glossy and deep amber.
    6. Stir in the lemon juice and switch off. It will thicken more as it cools.
    7. Serve warm or chilled in small bowls, topped with cream or malai and sliced almonds or the apricot kernels.

    Tips

    • Use the small Hyderabadi or Afghani dried apricots with stones; Turkish apricots give a different, brighter flavour.
    • Taste before adding all the sugar, since apricot sweetness varies.
    • Vanilla custard is a popular alternative topping at weddings.

    Serve with

    Fresh cream, malai, vanilla ice cream or custard.

  • Double ka Meetha

    Double ka meetha is a royal Hyderabadi dessert that is said to descend from the Mughal shahi tukda. The name comes from double roti, the old Hyderabadi term for bread, which doubles in size as the dough rises. It is served at weddings, during Ramzan and at Eid, often next to qubani ka meetha.

    Slices of bread are fried golden in ghee, soaked in a cardamom-saffron sugar syrup and then cooked with reduced milk until they soak it all up. The result is soft and moist, almost like a set pudding, but still with some texture from the crisp fried bread. It is very rich, sweet and fragrant.

    At a glance

    RegionTelangana
    CuisineHyderabadi
    DietVegetarian
    CourseDessert
    Prep time10 minutes
    Cook time40 minutes
    Total time50 minutes
    Serves6
    Spice levelMild
    DifficultyEasy
    Gluten-freeNo
    Key ingredientsbread / ghee / milk / sugar / saffron

    Ingredients

    • 8 slices white bread, a day old, crusts removed, cut into triangles
    • 1/2 cup ghee for frying
    • 1 litre full-fat milk
    • 1/2 cup sugar for the syrup
    • 1/2 cup water
    • 2 tbsp sugar for the milk
    • a pinch of saffron soaked in 2 tbsp warm milk
    • 1/2 tsp cardamom powder
    • 2 tbsp khoya (optional)
    • 12 almonds, sliced
    • 10 pistachios, sliced
    • 10 cashews, halved

    Method

    1. Simmer the milk in a heavy pan on medium-low heat for 25-30 minutes, stirring often, until it reduces to about half. Add 2 tbsp sugar, the saffron milk, cardamom and khoya if using.
    2. Meanwhile, make a syrup by boiling 1/2 cup sugar with 1/2 cup water for 5 minutes until slightly sticky but not stringy. Add a pinch of cardamom.
    3. Heat ghee in a frying pan on medium-low heat and fry the bread triangles in batches for 1-2 minutes per side until crisp and evenly golden. Drain.
    4. Fry the almonds, pistachios and cashews in the remaining ghee until lightly golden and keep aside.
    5. Dip each fried bread slice quickly into the warm sugar syrup and arrange them in a single layer in a wide pan.
    6. Pour the reduced milk over the bread. Cook on low heat for 5-6 minutes until the bread absorbs most of the milk and turns soft but still holds its shape.
    7. Garnish with the fried nuts. Serve warm or chilled.

    Tips

    • Day-old bread fries crisper and absorbs less ghee.
    • Fry slowly on medium-low heat; quick-fried bread is golden outside but soggy inside.
    • For a shortcut, use a can of condensed milk mixed with 1 cup milk instead of reducing.

    Serve with

    Served after biryani at weddings and Eid dinners.

  • Goli Baje

    Goli baje is the tea-time snack of Mangalore and Udupi, sold in every hotel and canteen along the coast. Also called Mangalore bajji or Mangalore bonda, it is made from maida and sour curd fermented briefly so the batter becomes light and airy. The name refers to its round, golf-ball shape.

    The fritters are golden and slightly crisp outside, with a soft, spongy, almost bread-like interior studded with green chillies, ginger, curry leaves and coconut bits. The sourness of the curd gives a pleasant tang. They are eaten hot with coconut chutney and a cup of tea or coffee. They are best within minutes of frying, while the outside is still crisp.

    At a glance

    RegionKarnataka
    CuisineMangalorean
    DietVegetarian
    CourseSnack
    Prep time15 minutes
    Cook time20 minutes
    Total time35 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelMild
    DifficultyEasy
    Gluten-freeNo
    Key ingredientsmaida / curd / green chillies / ginger / coconut

    Ingredients

    • 1.5 cups maida
    • 1 cup sour curd
    • 1 tbsp rice flour
    • 1 tsp sugar
    • 3/4 tsp salt
    • 1/4 tsp baking soda
    • 2 green chillies, finely chopped
    • 1 inch ginger, finely chopped
    • 1 sprig curry leaves, chopped
    • 2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
    • 2 tbsp coconut bits or grated coconut
    • 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
    • oil for deep frying

    Method

    1. Whisk the curd, sugar, salt and baking soda in a bowl until frothy. Leave for 5 minutes.
    2. Add the maida and rice flour and mix to a very thick, sticky batter. It should drop off a spoon slowly, not flow. Add a spoon of water only if absolutely needed.
    3. Beat the batter vigorously with your hand or a spoon for 3-4 minutes. This incorporates air and makes the bajji fluffy.
    4. Cover and rest for 2-3 hours at room temperature until it rises slightly.
    5. Stir in the green chillies, ginger, curry leaves, coriander, coconut and cumin.
    6. Heat oil on medium heat. Wet your fingers, take small lime-sized portions of batter and drop them into the oil.
    7. Fry on medium heat for 4-5 minutes, turning, until they puff up and turn deep golden on all sides.
    8. Drain on a rack and serve hot.

    Tips

    • Very sour curd gives the best flavour and rise.
    • The batter must be thick; a runny batter makes flat, oily bajji.
    • If the oil is too hot, the bajji brown outside and stay raw inside; test with one first.

    Serve with

    Coconut chutney and hot tea or filter coffee.

  • Mysore Pak

    Mysore pak was created in the kitchens of the Mysore palace during the reign of Krishnaraja Wadiyar IV. The palace cook Kakasura Madappa is credited with it, and his family went on to run a well-known sweet shop in the city. Pak or paka refers to the sugar syrup, and the sweet is made from just three ingredients: gram flour, sugar and ghee.

    There are two styles. The traditional one is firm, porous and slightly crumbly with a honeycomb texture, while the soft version made popular by Chennai sweet shops is dense and melts in the mouth. This recipe makes a soft-porous version, golden with a deeper colour at the base, rich with the flavour of roasted besan and ghee.

    At a glance

    RegionKarnataka
    CuisineKannada
    DietVegetarian
    CourseDessert
    Prep time10 minutes
    Cook time25 minutes
    Total time35 minutes
    Serves12
    Spice levelMild
    DifficultyHard
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientsbesan / ghee / sugar

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup besan (gram flour), sifted
    • 1.5 cups sugar
    • 1/2 cup water
    • 1.5 cups ghee, kept hot on a separate burner
    • 1/4 tsp cardamom powder (optional)

    Method

    1. Grease a 7-inch square tin or tray with ghee and keep it ready near the stove.
    2. Mix the sifted besan with 1/2 cup of the warm ghee to a smooth, lump-free, flowing paste.
    3. In a heavy kadai, dissolve the sugar in the water on medium heat and boil until it reaches one-string consistency, about 5-6 minutes. A drop pressed between finger and thumb should form a single thread.
    4. Lower the heat to medium-low and add the besan-ghee paste to the syrup, whisking constantly so no lumps form.
    5. Now add the hot ghee, 2-3 tablespoons at a time, stirring continuously. Each time the mixture absorbs the ghee and bubbles, add more.
    6. Keep cooking and stirring for 8-12 minutes. The mixture will froth up, turn porous and lighter in texture, and begin to leave the sides of the pan with ghee oozing out.
    7. When it reaches this stage and smells of roasted besan, immediately pour it into the greased tin. Do not spread or press it.
    8. Let it cool for 5 minutes, then cut into squares while still warm. Allow to cool completely before removing the pieces.

    Tips

    • The ghee must be hot when added; cold ghee will not make the mixture porous.
    • Remove from the heat as soon as it froths and leaves the sides; a few seconds more makes it hard and crumbly.
    • Cutting while warm gives clean edges; once fully set it breaks unevenly.

    Serve with

    Served on its own as a festive sweet or after a meal, with filter coffee.

  • Bisi Bele Bath

    Bisi bele bath means hot lentil rice in Kannada, and it is said to have been refined in the kitchens of the Mysore palace. It is a one-pot meal of rice and toor dal cooked soft, mixed with vegetables, tamarind and a special spice powder, and served piping hot with a generous spoon of ghee. In Bengaluru it is a standard dish at darshinis, weddings and temple feasts.

    The texture is porridge-like and loose, never dry, and it thickens as it cools. The masala, with roasted chana and urad dal, coriander, red chillies, cinnamon, cloves, marathi mogu and dry coconut, gives it a complex, warm, tangy flavour. The ideal plate comes with crunchy khara boondi or potato chips on the side.

    At a glance

    RegionKarnataka
    CuisineKannada
    DietVegetarian
    CourseMain course
    Prep time25 minutes
    Cook time40 minutes
    Total time65 minutes
    Serves4
    Spice levelMedium
    DifficultyMedium
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientsrice / toor dal / tamarind / mixed vegetables / ghee

    Ingredients

    For the bisi bele bath powder

    • 2 tbsp coriander seeds
    • 1 tbsp chana dal
    • 1 tbsp urad dal
    • 1 tsp cumin seeds
    • 1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds
    • 8 Byadgi chillies
    • 1 inch cinnamon
    • 4 cloves
    • 1 marathi mogu
    • 2 tbsp dry coconut (kopra), grated
    • 1 tsp poppy seeds

    For the bath

    • 3/4 cup sona masoori rice
    • 1/2 cup toor dal
    • 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
    • 5 cups water
    • 2 cups mixed vegetables: carrot, beans, peas, potato, chow chow, drumstick
    • small lemon-sized tamarind, soaked in 1 cup water
    • 1 tbsp grated jaggery
    • 1.5 tsp salt

    For the tempering

    • 3 tbsp ghee
    • 1 tsp mustard seeds
    • 15 cashews
    • 1 sprig curry leaves
    • 1/4 tsp asafoetida
    • 10 shallots or small onions, peeled (optional)

    Method

    1. Dry roast the coriander, dals, cumin, fenugreek, chillies, cinnamon, cloves and marathi mogu on low heat for 5-6 minutes until fragrant and the dals turn golden. Add coconut and poppy seeds in the last minute. Cool and grind to a fine powder.
    2. Wash the rice and dal together and pressure cook with turmeric and 4 cups water for 4-5 whistles until very soft. Mash lightly.
    3. Cook the vegetables in a large pot with 1 cup water and a little salt for 8-10 minutes until tender.
    4. Add the tamarind extract, jaggery and salt to the vegetables and boil for 5 minutes until the raw tamarind smell is gone.
    5. Mix 4 tbsp of the spice powder with a little water to a paste and stir it in. Simmer for 3 minutes.
    6. Add the mashed rice and dal and mix well. Add hot water to get a loose, porridge-like consistency; it will thicken as it stands. Simmer on low heat for 5 minutes, stirring to prevent sticking.
    7. For the tempering, heat ghee, splutter mustard seeds, fry cashews until golden, then add curry leaves, asafoetida and shallots and fry until the shallots soften. Pour over the bath and mix.
    8. Serve hot with an extra spoon of ghee on top.

    Tips

    • Always keep bisi bele bath looser than you think it should be; it sets firm within minutes.
    • The leftover powder keeps for a month in an airtight jar.
    • Byadgi chillies give colour without too much heat; use fewer Guntur chillies if substituting.

    Serve with

    Khara boondi, potato chips or papad, with raita or curd on the side.

  • Unniyappam

    Unniyappam, literally small appam, is a sweet fritter made in Kerala homes and temples for Vishu, Karthika Deepam and Krishna Jayanthi. It is also a common offering at temples like Kottarakkara, where it is the main prasadam. The batter is made from rice, jaggery and ripe banana and fried in a special pan with round cavities.

    A good unniyappam has a thin, crisp, dark brown shell and a soft, spongy, almost custardy centre. Flavours of jaggery, banana and cardamom come through, and fried coconut bits add little bursts of crunch. They keep for two or three days, which made them a traditional travelling snack. In many homes the first batch is offered at the pooja room before anyone eats.

    At a glance

    RegionKerala
    CuisineKerala
    DietVegetarian
    CourseSnack
    Prep time20 minutes
    Cook time30 minutes
    Total time50 minutes
    Serves6
    Spice levelMild
    DifficultyMedium
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientsrice / jaggery / banana / coconut / ghee

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup raw rice, soaked 4 hours
    • 3/4 cup grated jaggery
    • 1/3 cup water for melting jaggery
    • 2 small ripe bananas (palayamkodan or poovan), or 1 robusta
    • 2 tbsp wheat flour or rava (optional, for softness)
    • 1/2 tsp cardamom powder
    • pinch of salt
    • 1/4 tsp baking soda
    • 3 tbsp thin coconut bits (thenga kothu)
    • 1 tsp black sesame seeds
    • ghee and coconut oil for frying, about 1 cup

    Method

    1. Melt the jaggery with 1/3 cup water on low heat until dissolved. Strain to remove impurities and cool.
    2. Drain the rice and grind with the bananas and jaggery syrup to a thick, slightly coarse batter, like idli batter. Add water only if absolutely necessary.
    3. Transfer to a bowl, stir in the wheat flour, cardamom and salt, and rest for 2-4 hours. The batter will become slightly airy.
    4. Fry the coconut bits in 1 tsp ghee until golden and add them to the batter with the sesame seeds. Stir in the baking soda just before frying.
    5. Heat the appam pan on medium heat and fill each cavity half full with ghee or a mix of ghee and coconut oil.
    6. When the fat is hot, pour batter into each cavity until three-quarters full. Fry on medium-low heat for 2-3 minutes until the base is deep brown.
    7. Turn each unniyappam with a skewer and fry the other side for 2 minutes until evenly brown.
    8. Lift out, drain on a rack, and repeat. Serve warm or at room temperature.

    Tips

    • The batter should be thick; a thin batter absorbs too much fat.
    • Overripe bananas give the softest and sweetest unniyappam.
    • Keep the heat moderate so the centres cook through before the shells darken too much.

    Serve with

    Black tea or coffee in the evening; also offered as temple prasadam.

  • Palada Payasam

    Palada pradhaman, often simply called palada payasam, is the crowning sweet of many Onam and wedding sadyas. It is made with ada, thin flakes of steamed rice, cooked slowly in milk and sugar. The milk reduces and caramelises gently, turning a soft pink colour without any colouring, and the ada becomes silky and tender.

    The famous Ambalappuzha temple payasam is a related milk-and-rice preparation, and the slow-cooked pink colour is the mark of a well-made palada. It is rich, creamy and sweet with a hint of cardamom, and it is served warm at the end of the meal, sometimes poured over a crumbled pappadam and a banana.

    At a glance

    RegionKerala
    CuisineKerala
    DietVegetarian
    CourseDessert
    Prep time10 minutes
    Cook time75 minutes
    Total time85 minutes
    Serves6
    Spice levelMild
    DifficultyMedium
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientsrice ada / milk / sugar / ghee / cardamom

    Ingredients

    • 1/2 cup rice ada (store-bought or homemade)
    • 1.5 litres full-fat milk
    • 3/4 cup sugar
    • 2 tbsp ghee
    • 1/2 tsp cardamom powder
    • 10 cashews, halved (optional)
    • 1 tbsp raisins (optional)

    Method

    1. Bring 4 cups of water to a boil, add the ada, switch off and leave for 30 minutes until soft. Drain and rinse in cold water so the flakes do not stick together.
    2. Pour the milk into a heavy, wide pan and bring to a boil on medium heat, stirring so it does not catch.
    3. Add the drained ada and the sugar. Lower the heat to low-medium and simmer, stirring every few minutes and scraping the bottom and sides.
    4. Continue for 50-60 minutes. The milk will reduce by about half, thicken, and gradually turn from white to cream to light pink.
    5. When the payasam is pink, creamy and the ada is completely soft, add 1 tbsp ghee and the cardamom powder.
    6. If using, fry cashews and raisins in the remaining ghee until golden and add to the payasam.
    7. Switch off and let it rest for 15 minutes; it will thicken further as it cools. Serve warm.

    Tips

    • A wide, heavy pan speeds up reduction and prevents scorching.
    • The pink colour comes only from long, slow cooking of milk and sugar together; do not rush it on high heat.
    • Pressure cooking milk, sugar and ada on low heat for 45 minutes, as some caterers do, also gives the pink colour, but watch it carefully.

    Serve with

    Served warm at the end of the sadya, traditionally with a small crushed pappadam.

  • Avial

    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

    RegionKerala
    CuisineKerala
    DietVegetarian
    CourseSide dish
    Prep time25 minutes
    Cook time20 minutes
    Total time45 minutes
    Serves5
    Spice levelMild
    DifficultyMedium
    Gluten-freeYes
    Key ingredientsmixed 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

    1. Cut all vegetables into batons of similar length and thickness. Keep the raw banana in water to stop it darkening.
    2. 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.
    3. 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.
    4. 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.
    5. 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.
    6. Switch off the heat and let it cool for a minute, then stir in the whisked curd gently.
    7. 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.