Aviyal

When my dad suggested that I learn cooking (during my 10th std holidays) and picked Aviyal as the very first item he wanted to teach I couldn't believe my ears - first because I had no intention of learning to cooking then and thought that aviyal was too complicated a dish to be the first one! I remember just helping him with the preparation while he explained that it really had nothing much to it and was amongst the simplest of dishes. I totally agree with him now. It couldn't get easier.

AVIYAL
Ingredients:
Mixed Vegetables - 3 to 4 cups, cut into thick 1.5 inch pieces(I use potatoes, raw bananas, beans, carrot, peas, chow chow, suran, white pumpkin)
Thick Curds (Yogurt) - 1/4 cup
Coconut Oil - 2 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves - from 1 stalk
Salt, to taste

To Grind:
Grated coconut (fresh/frozen) - 1/3 to 1/2 cup (the more the better)
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Green chillies - 10

Method:
1) Microwave the vegetables with salt and little water, covered on high for about 8 to 10 minutes or until crisp-tender.

2) Heat a pan and add the cooked vegetables, ensure it's not too watery, if it is, let the mixture boil until it thickens a bit. Now, add the ground coconut paste and allow this to cook a bit on a medium flame. When done and the vegetables are tender to your liking remove from the stove.

3) Season by heating the oil, adding mustard seeds and curry leaves. Pour over the vegetable mixture. When the entire mixture has cooled a bit, stir in the yogurt. Aviyal is now ready to serve with rice or Adais.

TIP: Try adding some fried onion vadaams to aviyal. It's excellent.

I would like to send this as my entry to RCI-Kerala hosted by Jyothsna of Curry Bazaar.

Other Kerala inspired recipes on my blog:
Olan , Puttu & Kadala Curry , Yardlong Beans Thoran , Egg Aviyal , Vegetable Stew , Theeyal , Caramelized Sweet Plantains

Comments

  1. Starting cooking lessons with 'aviyal' and that too with 'dad' as teacher! My what an experience...!

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  2. I fully agree with dhivya.
    My sentiments exactly. I too didn't want to learn cooking when i was 15, when my mom told me to learn. I tol her i will learn it after my 2 sister get married ;-)))

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  3. Adai-aviyal is a combo that I got exposed to only after meeting my hubby. Until then it was strictly aviyal with rice only back in Kerala for me.
    Your aviyal looks good. thx.

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  4. Hey Laavanya,

    Thank you so much for ur sweet comment on my blog..and guess what even I sent Avial for RCI: Kerala.. but urs indeed looks so different and yummier than mine.. will try ur version next time..

    take care n hugs,

    ~ Siri

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  5. Nice one laav. Looks good. Dad teaching you - Never knew that! He started u off with an easy dish, right? Agree now i hope!

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  6. love aviyal it is up there in my faves...you know laav..next time you make this..just add a little bit of tamarind..really a very small ball..it enhances the taste...and looking at ur pic..i know what i am making on Sunday!!
    have a great weekend girl :)

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  7. Nice looking avial, L.:-)
    We make it pretty much the same way though drumsticks are kind of an essential part of our avials.
    BTW, instead of adding tamarind as Rajitha says, try sour curd/yogurt as that is how it is traditionally made.:-)
    H is now asking me to stop giving unsolicited advice! Sorry!
    BTW, tried calling you today.

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  8. wow!! aviyal !!!....i always prepare aviyal and adai togther...excellent combho i say!!

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  9. Yummy!!! We make aviyal too in Karnataka, but its more like a gravy.... the pic looks gr8

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  10. this recipe looks very easy and deleciouss lavanya

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  11. hey TBC..how dare you ;D...i saw a cook do that re...and it is so hard to get sour yogurt..so the tamarind..samjha kar!! hope u don't mind this bakwaas laav :D

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  12. I think Laavanya does mind... see no response from her at all:-(

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  13. Hey Laavanya. First of all Happy New year. I must have missed your blog's new look. Loved your aviyal recipe.

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  14. Dhivya, it definitely was. Sadly, i wasn't too interested then. I only learnt enthusiastically during my final year of studies.. :)

    True Happy Cook. That was the last thing on my mind then.. though i used to like making snacks like cutlets and so on.

    Jayashree, that was how we had at home too. Adai-aviyal is something I gathered from friends and grew to like.

    Siri, no problem. I checked out your version... i've not added cream before. Do try this. Thanks.

    Seema, yes my dad said that since he's a better cook than my mom, I shd learn from him. :)

    Rajitha, my mom adds puli nowadays instead of yogurt because my brother will NOT eat yogurt at all. She has been asking me to try with puli saying that tastes good too. I still haven't warmed up to it but maybe i'll try it after all... since i like tangy stuff anyways.

    Thank you TBC. Any advice, solicited or not, is most welcome.. so don't worry. Sorry I missed your call yday.. got the vm. I always do add yogurt to aviyal and mostly the ones I make are on the sour side... :) That's how i like yogurt.

    Deepa, thanks. I like that combo too.. also with sambar and rice.

    Ramya, my version is not very watery but tends to fall on the gravy side too :) Thank you.

    Thank you Sagari.

    Rajitha and TBC, of course I don't mind this little discussion you have going. Why is it a problem to get sour curd? The one i make gets sour after a few days in the fridge anyway... But i'm not entirely dismissing the tamarind idea either. Rajitha, just to clarify, you add some yogurt and tamarind? Have a great weekend you two.

    Thank you Red Chillies. Wishing you a great New Year too.

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  15. yes...tamarind and yogurt..it is really good...really ur yogurt gets sour..mine is still a bit sweet!! i tried keeping it out for a day and it stank after that!!...and coming Ms. TBC...since i gave in the response first..i get the upper hand on the advice section :D..actually i want to stick out my tongue...

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  16. That is the most beautiful Aviyal picture I've ever seen, seriously! Your dad did a great job, laav...

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  17. Started cooking from 10th standard? wow...I never knew in which direction the kitchen was at that age. Anyway, avial is my fav and my hubby's too. Looks so delicious. I've heard that avial goes well with adai. But I've always had it only with white rice. Nice to see your version

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  18. this is just so good. I am completely loving it. Thanks L for the recipe.

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  19. You reminded me to prepare this Laavanya. I like curry type avial too. The spicy diamond cuts, sabudana vada are too good for this season. went through other posts too. Viji (Vcuisine)

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  20. My Dad also encouraged me to start cooking when in college and it really helped when i was living alone a few years later...I appreciate it now that he did the same with my brother!

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  21. Hi,
    Colourful looking recipe. Thanks for sharing.

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  22. Will try that Rajitha.

    Sig!! :) Thank you so much. That comment made my day indeed.

    Kribha, my dad suggested and I helped him with this but there the learning session ended.. I didn't really proceed then and learnt cooking (mostly by myself) much later.

    Thank you Pooja.

    Viji, great to see you here... thanks! :)

    Miri, i know what you mean. I learnt cooking mostly when I was by myself too and the set of basic recipes that my parents gave during their visit was such a help.

    Thank you MT :)

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  23. Avial is looking different from the usual ones! We make it a little watery!

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  24. Hi Laavanya,

    Have just blogged your Aviyal as a model recipe in the 1001 Aviyal cookbook at http://ramkicooks.blogspot.com/

    /Thanks for the recipe

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