Aviyal

Aviyal

After a short break! Probably a reasonable break… in my role as daughter-in law. Now back with my cam for aviyal. A traditional side dish of Malayalees… wherever we are, an inevitable side dish for sadya. Be it onam / wedding sadya or any occasion it is served at the right hand of banana leaf.  Whether Bhima invented it or not, someone who tried with all veggies might get this recipe. In hostel days it was Sunday special.

It’s easy to make mezhukupuratty or thoran but when it goes to aviyal and sambar it is for weekend dish. I had a reason to make aviyal on weekends in overseas. We get fresh veggies from India and Srilanka by Saturday.  But most of the time we don’t get all veggies required for aviyal and I tried Bhima’s way. Pick whatever we have but the proportion of each veggie is a must.

Ingredients: vegetables

Cucumber      –

Snake gourd   –

Elephant yam –

Carrots           –

Drumsticks     –

Raw banana(Nenthran) –

Broad Beans/Avarakka –

To grind:

Coconut grated – 1 cup

Shallots – 2

Green chilli – 1, sliced length wise

Chilli powder – 1 tsp

Turmeric powder – a pinch

Cumin Seeds – 1tsp

Tamarind juice/curd – as required

Curry leaves – a sprig

Coconut oil – 1 tsp

Salt – for taste

Method:

Slice the vegetables length wise (size of point finger). Grind the coconut with green chilli/chilli powder, cumin seeds, turmeric powder and shallots. Make a paste… not too mushy. Cook elephant yam separately with salt and keep aside. In a thick bottomed pan or uruli add the sliced vegetables, ground paste, tamarind paste and salt. Once it’s almost cooked add cooked yam into it. Pour coconut oil and sprinkle curry leaves. Switch off the stove.

Note:

·        If you choose curd instead of tamarind add it after cooking aviyal i.e. after 80% of cooking. When you add curd yam can be added with all vegetables.

·        Do not add too much of water. While mixing the vegetables with ground paste, tamarind juice, make sure the water consistency.

·        For red coloured aviyal add 1 chopped green chilli to the vegetables with tamarind juice and for green coloured aviyal grind 3 green chilli and add a cup of curd/raw mango. Instead of tamarind juice - try with few pieces of raw mango.