Avial

Avial

 Avial is a dish that is common in Kerala as well as Tamil cuisine and Udupi cuisine. It is a thick mixture of vegetables and coconut, seasoned with coconut oil and curry leaves. Avial is considered an essential part of the Sadya, the Keralite vegetarian feast.
It is supposed to have been invented by Bhima (one of the pandava brothers) during their exile.According to legends,Bhima assumed his duties as the cook in the kitchen ofvirata,he did not know how to cook.One of the first things he did was to chop up many different vegetables,boil them together and top the dish with grated coconut.Bhima said to have prepared Avial.There are several other stories related to the origin of Avial......

VEGETABLES USED :

• Yam                     -  100 gms                     
• Raw banana         - 1                                   
  
• White pumpkin – 250 grams
• Drumstick  - 2
• Red pumpkin – 250 gms
• Snakegourd  - 1
• Arvi   - 2
• Wash all the vegetables , peel the skin , remove the seeds & cut  evenly into thin long oieces .   ( 1 1 / 2 inches length )
• Other ingredients
• Jaggery – 2 tsp
• Coconut oil – 4 tbsp
• Curry leaves – 4 sprigs
• Thick beaten curd – 3 cups

FOR WET GRINDING :

• Coconut gratings – 2 ½ cups
• Green chillies  - 10
• Grind these to a fine paste in ane cup curd .

METHOD ;

• Heat 2 tbsp of coconut oil in  a thick bottomed vessel .
• Add a few sprigs of curry leaves .
• Put all the vegetables
• Add  enough water &  buttermilk
• Boil the vegetables ,add  jiggery
• Add the ground masala  , salt  7 simmer till the vegetables are cooked well
• Add well beaten curd 7 curry leaves & boil for 2 minutes
• Mix well  7 add 2 tbsp of coconut oil .
• Remove from the heat & serve hot .