Avial (Kerala Mixed Vegetables in Coconut)

No Onam sadya (Kerala's banana-leaf feast) is complete without avial. Long batons of vegetables are cooked just tender and coated in ground coconut, green chilli and cumin, soured with yogurt and finished with raw coconut oil and curry leaves.

Video by Shaan Geo on YouTube. Our recipe below is our own home-style version, written in our own words – quantities and steps may differ from the video.

• Serves 4
• Prep 25 min
• Cook 20 min
• Vegetarian · gluten-free · Mild
• Famous in Kerala

Ingredients

• 600 g mixed vegetables cut into 5 cm batons (carrot, green beans, zucchini, pumpkin, raw banana, drumstick if available)
• ½ tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp salt
• 100 g grated coconut (fresh or desiccated soaked in warm water)
• 2 green chillies
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 150 g plain yogurt, slightly sour
• 2 tbsp coconut oil
• 15 curry leaves

Method

1. Put the vegetables in a wide pan with turmeric, salt and 150 ml water. Cover and cook on medium heat for 8–10 minutes until just tender – they should keep their shape.
2. Grind coconut, green chillies and cumin to a coarse paste with a splash of water (do not make it smooth).
3. Stir the coconut paste into the vegetables and cook for 3 minutes until most of the water is gone.
4. Take the pan off the heat and gently fold in the whisked yogurt.
5. Crush the curry leaves in your hand, scatter them on top and pour over the raw coconut oil. Cover for 5 minutes so the aroma soaks in, then stir once and serve with rice.

Tip: Never boil the avial after adding the yogurt, or it will split.

Shop the ingredients

Everything you need for this recipe is in stock at Farmah’s – order online or pick it up at Annenstraße 41, Graz.