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Monday 13 August 2018

Kerala Style Avial / Onam Sadhya Recipe


Avial is a traditional vegetable preparation of Indian state of Kerala and a part of Udupi Cuisine. It is a quintessential dish of Onam Sadhya - a Keralite vegetarian feast. It is basically a creamy delicious thick mixture of vegetables cooked in a base of spiced coconut and yogurt sauce which is further seasoned with coconut oil and curry leaves. Avial has distinct coconut flavors and a mild sour taste which it gets from the added yogurt. This is an onion garlic free recipe and usually served as a side dish with rice.

The word avial is used to denote boiled or cooked in water , hence the name of the dish .Vegetables commonly used in avial are elephant yam, plantain, carrot, beans, pumpkin, cucumber, drumstick, snake gourd, eggplant etc. Some people prefer to skip curd or substitute it with raw mango or tamarind pulp. The dish can be made into a gravy or be made into a semi- solid side dish. Source: Wikipedia.


Onam is an annual Hindu festival which originates in the Indian state of Kerala. It is ten day festival which celebrates rice harvest. It commemorates the vamana avatar of lord Vishnu and the subsequent homecoming of the legendary Emperor Mahabali. Sadhya means banquet in Malayalam. Sadhya is a feast consisting of a variety of traditional vegetarian dishes usually served on a banana leaf in Kerala. Avial is an essential dish of Onam Sadhya. This year Onam will begin on 15th August and ends on 27th August.


Avial dish was on my to do list from a long time but fetching the vegetables required for it here in Mohali was not an easy task. If i would get yam in the local markets in one week, i would hardly find plantain. If i got both of them , fetching drumstick was a tough job. This kept delaying my wish to prepare the dish. Finally when this week i bought drumstick from super market , plantain from a local vegetable vendor and yam and other veggies from the weekly farmers market i could plan Avial. I have used drumstick , plantain, carrot, potato, yam, green pea, cucumber and french beans in this recipe. The veggies are cut lengthwise into batons.

All the veggies of Avial have to be cooked well but they should hold their shape and not be mushy. To attain this, i have added the veggies to boiling water according to their cooking time (yam, drumstick and beans were the first to be added to the boiling water, then i added cucumber, potato , plantain and carrot and green peas were tipped at the last with coconut paste as i have used frozen peas here. The preparation may sound elaborate but believe me the recipe is very easy. I have referred the recipe from various sites on Internet and from the cook books i have on Indian cooking. I have skipped using the veggies like snake gourd, ash gourd, pumpkin  and egg plant as i did not have them handy in my kitchen pantry. Feel free to use the veggies that are readily available with you , Only do not use pulpy and soft veggies in avial. Also few recipes called for use of 1 tablespoon raw rice while making the coconut paste. I have not used it. It makes the curry more thick . You may use it if you desire. So lets gets started.

Preparation time : 15 minutes
Cooking time: 25 minutes
Serves: 3-4

Ingredients:
  • 150 grams yam
  • 2 drumstick 
  • 5-6 french beans
  • 1 large or 2 small carrots
  • 1 plantain/ raw banana
  • 1 medium potato
  • 1 cucumber
  • 1/4 cup fresh or frozen green peas
  • 3/4 cup fresh coconut, scrapped
  • 1/2 cup curd
  • 3-4 green chilies
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
  • 1 sprig curry leaves
  • 1 tablespoon coconut oil
  • Salt to taste
Method:
  1. Wash , peel and cut the veggies lengthwise into 2" long pieces ( baton / stick shape). Take 1 1/2 cup water in an open pan . Add turmeric and salt to taste and boil it. Tip in drumstick, yam and french beans into the boiling water. Cover cook until they are half cooked. 


 2. Next add the carrot, cucumber, potato and plantain . Cook the veggies until they are tender but not fully cooked.


3. While the veggies are getting cooked, we will make the coconut paste. For that take scrapped fresh coconut, green chilies and cumin seeds in a grinder jar. Pulse to make a coarse paste. I have not added water while doing so. You may add little water if you wish to. We are looking for a coarse paste which gives texture to the avial. Do not make a fine paste.



4. Add this spiced coconut paste and the green peas to the veggies and cover cook for another 5 minutes.

5. Whisk the curd well with a wire whisker and add this to the spiced coconut and veggie mix. Mix well.


6. In the end heat coconut oil in a small pan. Add curry leaves to it . Add this tempering to the avial. Put off the flame.



7. Serve the flavorful avial with steamed rice and enjoy with your loved ones.



#OnamRecipes is the #157th theme on #FoodieMondayBlogHop and this quintessential Onam Sadhya Avial recipe is my contribution towards the theme.

Recipe Notes:
  • You may use any other cooking oil for making Avial if you do not have coconut oil handy , but i would highly recommend not to skip Coconut oil for the authentic flavors.
  • Vegetables commonly used in avial are elephant yam, plantain, carrot, beans, pumpkin, cucumber, drumstick, snake gourd, eggplant etc. Feel free to use the veggies that are easily available with you, only do not use soft and pulpy vegetables in the avial.
  • The veggies for avial are cut lengthwise into batons and have to be cooked well but they should hold their shape and not be mushy. To attain this, i have added the veggies to boiling water according to their cooking time .
  • Few recipes call for use of 1 tablespoon raw rice while making the coconut paste. I have not used it. It makes the curry more thick . You may use it if you desire. 
  • Do not reheat avial.

If you ever try this recipe, do share your feed back with us in the comment section below. 
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52 comments :

  1. Avial is part of Tamilnadu cuisine too. :) We make avial too, exactly the same way. Sometimes, pieces of raw mango are also added to the avial, for extra flavour. Glad to see you making avial - it is one of my most favourite dishes.

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    1. Thank you Priya. Cooked and tasted Avial for the first time. I just loved the distinct flavors of this dish and Avial will make it apperance in my kitchen often now .

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  2. Looks amazing and so perfectly done☺ Thanks for sharing!

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  3. I love avial with pongal.. simple comfort meal.

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    1. Absolutely di ..both Pongal and Avial are very comforting .

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  4. Onam sadya is incomplete without this avial, can smell the flavor of this Kerala style avial. Just prefect to have with a bowl of rice.

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  5. I have never had avial...this looks absolutely delicious...will try soon

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  6. Avial looks so perfect. It actually means "aviyil " meaning steamed and you have doe total justice to it.

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  7. Kerala special Avial, looks very nice, the flavor and taste of this dish is unique and best for a festive lunch.

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  8. Avial with the colourful veggies is looking great

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  9. Poonam,
    I read your post with great interest. Loved the photo with coconut shell!

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    Replies
    1. Thank you so much Sandhya. That pic is inspired from the cook book by Sanjeev Kapoor

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  10. I love Avial recipes simply because of the health factor. I love the fact that apart from being so colorful they are healthy and fulfilling

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  11. Healthy avial sounds tasty and flavourful. Tatsed it many times at friends place, never tried to prepare myself. Saving the recipe to try this weekend. Thanks for the share Poonam.

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    1. Do give it a try and share your feedback with us

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  12. I love avial but usually end up adding whatever veggies I have in hand. It tastes good with steamed rice.

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    1. Yes Jayashree , we can add veggies if your choice into Avial and it tastes great with steamed rice.

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  13. Sounds extremely delicious n yummy. Avial is on my to do too but I dont attempt it as I will find no eaters in my place.

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    1. Even I thought this before I attempted this dish. To my surprise the dish was utterly flavorful and everyone in my house including the little fussy eater relished it

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  14. Avial is one of my favourite dishes...Yours looks delicious...I'm tempted to prepare right now...Thanks for the share!!

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  15. This is one scrumptious curry.. Drooling here...and just wow pics

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  16. I know this is one of the dish in onam sadhya, taste awesome. Lovely clicks Poonam.

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  17. Seriously mouthwatering stuff, Poonam.

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  18. I have to try this dish in my kitchen, like you said there are many vegetables needed for this dish, I always struggle as well. So tempting and well explained post.

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    Replies
    1. Thank you so much Jagruti. I think in winters when there are plenty of veggies..you can try this dish.

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  19. Aviyal looks so tempting poonam..and presenting in the coconut shell is amazing

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  20. Avail looks so delicious and flavourful Poonam Something like our mixed vegetable sukto. Because presentation

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  21. Avail is super favourite and weekly affair at home. Looks superb. Love it with hot rice and poori . Simple and delicious. Superb Poonam

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    Replies
    1. We love to have Avial with steamed rice, never tried with poori. Next time will try this combo. Thank you Ruchi.

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  22. Delicious and fragrant, I am sure! Also love the crushed bottle green background!!

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  23. Onam sadya is one of my favorite festival menu and I wish one day I would make it with almost recipes. Your avial looks so simple yet divine.

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    1. It is my dream also Sapna to cook a full sadya meal myself. Thank you

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  24. Avial looks absolutely mouth watering.I love the mix of all the veggies which gives a nice flavour and texture to the dish.Fantastic share Poonam.

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  25. A perfect traditional share according to the theme❤️👍

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  26. I remember once watching Masterchef and thought that the whole process of making avial is complicated s the chefs had some harsh remarks for the participants. You have made the whole process of making avial so easy. Looks very delicious.

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    Replies
    1. To me also at first the process looked very difficidi but trust me it is very easy.

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