Avial is one of the old and traditional dishes in the southern part of India, especially in the Kanyakumari District.It is prepared by lot of vegetable cooked together and then a coarsely ground mixture of coconut, cumin seeds and chilli are added to it. Avial is considered as an essential part of the main meal in Kanyakumari District and also in Kerala.
It is one of the recipes that were present in all the grand feasts from very ancient times. Avial is prepared with a lot of vegetables like brinjal, green banana, beans, potato, drumstick, cluster beans, chilli, carrots etc. Earlier carrots and beans were not used, they are a later addition.
There is a story about the origins of avial. Once a cook was preparing for a grand feast and there were a lot of vegetable scraps. The cook didn’t want to waste them so he mixed them and prepared a dish. This dish was called avial. Everybody liked this dish and it became popular.
Here in this recipe I have used long green brinjal, purple brinjal, raw banana, cucumber, snake guard, tomato, cluster beans, green chilli and carrot. You can also use ladies finger, potato, beans, raw mango, jackfruit seed etc. I have used tamarind juice for taste but you can also use raw mango.
AVIAL RECIPE
PREPARATION TIME:15 MINUTES.
COOKING TIME : 20 MINUTES.
SERVES : 4 TO 5 PEOPLE
INGREDIENTS:
- Brinjal – 1.
- Long green Brinjal – 2.
- Tomato – 1.
- Green Chili – 3.
- Cluster beans – 3 or 4.
- Raw banana – 1
- Cucumber – 1 Small piece.
- Snake guard – 1 Small piece.
- Coconut – 3/4 Cup.
- Cumin seeds – 1/2 Teaspoons.
- Mustard seeds – 1/2 Teaspoons.
- Curryleaves – Few.
- Coconut oil – 2 To 3 Tablespoons.
METHOD:
- Cut the vegetables into medium sized thin lengthwise pieces. Keep all the vegetables except green chillies, cluster beans and tomatoes immersed in water to prevent oxidization.
- Heat one or two tablespoons of coconut oil in a thick bottomed vessel, crackle the mustard seeds and add the curry leaves.
- Then add all the vegetables into the vessel and give them a good stir.
- Add some turmeric powder and salt and mix it well. Pour 1/4 cup of water to the vegetables, close the vessel and cook it on a medium flame for 8 to 10 minutes or until the vegetables are half cooked.
- Add a tablespoon of tamarind juice. Check the amount of salt and, if needed, add the required amount
- Add in the coarsely ground coconut coconut mixture into the half cooked vegetables and mix well.
- Cook the vegetables until fully cooked.
- When it is completely cooked, pour a table spoon of coconut oil into it and turn off the stove. It is ready to serve.
TIP: When you add raw mango check the sourness of the mango, if it is very sour then add less mango pieces.
STEP BY STEP PICTURES
1.Cut the vegetables into thin pieces and keep them in water to prevent oxidization.
2.Keep tomatoes, chillies and cluster beans separate.
3.Crackle mustard seeds .
4.Put all the vegetables into the vessel.
5.Add salt and turmeric powder.
6.Add 1/4 cup of water, cover the vessel and cook for 8 to 10 minutes on medium flame.
7. Add tamarind juice .
8. Add in the coarsely grounded coconut mixture.
9. Mix it well.
10. When it is completely cooked, pour a spoon-full of coconut oil and switch off the stove immediately.
11.It is ready to serve!
