Aviyal - Mixed Vegetables in a Coconut Based Gravy

One of the most aromatic and flavorful mixed vegetable dishes I have had is the famous Kerala dish - Aviyal . The key to making the perfect Aviyal is coconut oil, fresh grated coconut and a bunch of veggies cut evenly and to the same size. This recipe is from a trusted source and a good friend Sushma Subramanyam. 

Aviyal - Mixed Vegetables in a creamy Coconut & Yogurt based gravy

Ingredients

• 1 Cup Carrot 
• 1 Cup Cucumber
• 1/2 Cup Green Bananas
• 1 cup Pumpkin
• 3-4 Pearl Onions 
• 1 Drumstick (cut into 3-4 2 inches sticks)
• 1/2 Cup Potato
• 3-4 French Beans
• 3-4 Cluster Beans
• 1/2 Cup Sweet Potato
• 1/2 Cup Yam
• 2-3 Green Chillies 
• 1 Cup Fresh Coconut 
• 1/2 Tsp Turmeric 
• 2 Tbsp Organic Coconut Oil 
• 5-6 Curry Leaves 
• 1 Cup Yogurt (whisk to smooth paste)
• 1 Tbsp Cumin Seeds
• 1 Tsp Urad Dal 
• 1-2 Red Chillies
• Salt to taste 
• 1/2 Tsp Asafoetida  

Procedure

• Cut all veggies (Potato, French Beans, Cluster Beans, Raw Banana, Carrot, Sweet Potato, Pumpkin, Yam, Baby Red Onions, Drumstick and whatever you have left in your refrigerator) into two inch sticks
•  Boil the veggies in a pan with just enough water, salt, turmeric, slit green chillies and curry leaves 
• Remember the veggies needs to be the ones that hold their shape and not the ones that turn mushy) 

Boil all the veggies to a 70% done state

• While the veggies are boiling, make a coarse-smooth (somewhere in between) paste of fresh coconut, green chilies and cumin
• Once your veggies are 75-80% cooked, add the coconut paste to the boiled veggies and add a generous table spoon of coconut oil
• Blend well and let it simmer until you let the raw taste of the paste transform into this aromatic and well cooked thick paste 
• Adjust salt as per your taste 

The Creamy Coconut Sauce 

• Now pull the pan off the stove and add the whisked yogurt and blend to a thick creamy consistency (Remember do not let the yogurt split (Note: the original recipe did not have yogurt in it, but I added some cos I wanted to give it that tangy creamy consistency, you can do without it as well)
• To finish this off, prepare a tempering from a generous amount of coconut oil, red chillies, urad dal, cumin, hing and curry leaves
• When the tempering starts to splutter, splash it across the smooth creamy blend of veggies 

The Tempering Makes the Difference 

• Enjoy the most aromatic, healthy and blissful Aviyal. 
• Pair this with Adai or just plain steaming hot rice. 

Avial is best paired with Adai

The Perfect Combo