Avial

#Avial or #Aviyal is a gravy done using many vegetables with coconut masala. This is one of the main side dishes on festival days and in wedding feasts for lunch. One of the main vegetables generally used are unripe banana and potato. Other vegetables used are brinjal, broad beans, cluster beans, carrot, beans, yam. Or this gravy can be prepared at home when we have banana and 3 or 4 vegetables available in small small quantities. Let us see how to prepare this gravy.

Ingredients :
Take all the vegetables available at home including unripe banana and potato.
Cut all the vegetables into an inch long pieces.
The cut pieces measuring 1 to 1 1/2 cups.
1 pinch                               Turmeric powder
1/2 Tsp                               Salt
2 Tbsp                                Curd

To Grind :

2 Tbsp                                Coconut scrap
1 1/2 Tsp                            Cumin seeds
2 or 3 cloves                       Garlic
1 small size                         Onion
2 or 3                                 Green Chilly
1/2 Tsp                               Rice flour

To Temper :
1 Tsp                                 Mustard seeds
1 Tsp                                 Cumin seeds
2 Tsp                                 Urad dhal
1 or 2                                Red chilly
8 to 10                              Curry leaves
2 Tsp                                 Coconut Oil ( preferred )

 Method :
Grind all the given ingredients using a blender into a smooth paste.
Keep aside.
Take all the vegetables in a cooker except banana pieces. ( banana takes less time to cook compared to other vegetables. )
Add salt, turmeric powder and 1/2 cup of water.

Cook on high flame for a whistle.
Immediately release the steam and now add banana pieces and close the lid with weight on.
No need to keep on stove. The heat inside the cooker is just enough to cook banana pieces.
After five or seven minutes open the cooker.

Now add coconut paste and curd. Adjust salt.

Cook on slow flame for 7 to 10 minute or until all blend together to required consistency.

Switch off the stove.

Keep a kadai with oil on slow flame and heat.
First crackle mustard seeds, then cumin and then add broken pieces of red chilly.
Then add Urad dhal and fry till it becomes golden color.
Finally add curry leaves and transfer the tempering over the prepared avial.



Avial goes well with sambar rice and rasam rice.
This can be mixed with white rice also and relished with any stir fry.



some more side dish recipes you might like to try

bhini masala curry

vegetable kurma

cauliflower tomato kurma

potato kurma

karamani [ cowpea ] curry

Some ideas for Breakfast and Dinner

Tiffin Varieties

More dishes to experiment

Recipe Index