Considered as one of the most essentials in Kerala Sadya, Avial is loved by one and all (except me)! Yeah, as a kid I was picky and I still continue to be so. I remember the first time preparing this. It was on our first Onam after the wedding and P had invited few friends home. Thank God that they hailed from Northern parts of India, they didn’t know that the dish was a disaster. The sadya-lover that P is, he pointed out for the first time that my dish hasn’t turned out good. The next time I prepared, that is on our second Onam, I made sure that I call up Mom atleast ten times to make notes. Yes, it turned out goooooooooood. 😀
Before I introduce you to the recipe, I want to share a small story with you. Avial is supposed to be invented by Bhima, one of the Pandavas. While they were in exile, Bhime assumed the role of a cook of King Virata. Sadly though, he didn’t know how to cook. So, he grabbed some random vegetables, chopped and boiled them together, made a dish and topped it with grated cocunut. Oh, yeah, the dish has the roots from there.
There are few variations to this dish. But, here’s Mom’s recipe.
Ingredients:
Indian yellow cucumber, raw banana, drum sticks, carrot, green beans, yam, snake gourd, 1/2 raw mango, 2 green chillies slit
10 Shallots mashed, 1/2 tsp turmeric powder, 1/2 tsp chilli powder, 1tsp cumin seeds, 1 cup grated coconut, 2 sprigs curry leaves
3tbsp coconut oil, salt
Method: ‘
In a pan, add 2 tbsp of coconut oil. Add mashed shallots and saute well.
Add the vegetables (except raw mango) and saute. Add 1/2 cup of water just enough for the vegetable to cook through. Add chilli powder, salt and turmeric powder. Add raw mango pieces and mix well.
Meanwhile, mash grated coconut, cumin seeds and two shallots.
Make a well in the middle of the cooked vegetables and add the coconut mixture. Close and cook for a couple of minutes. Mix together.
Remove from flame, add a tbsp of oil and mix well again.
Serve hot with rice and accompaniments.
Chef says:
Boil and cook yam separate if you find it is particularly raw and needs more time to cook than other veggies.
Leave little skin on the raw banana as it adds taste to the dish.
If you do not have raw mango, add 2 tbsp of yogurt to the dish once removed from flame. You can also add 2 tbsp of tamarind water also to obtain the little sourness the dish require.
‘Written for the A-Z challenge 2015’
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Jaibala Rao says
September 15, 2016 at 5:47 pmI read this post after finishing off the remaining Avial from yesterday. I think the taste gets better the longer you keep it 🙂
The Weekend Baker says
April 2, 2015 at 2:14 amOne of my favourites! Yay. Great start to A-Z, Shalini. An interesting tale about Bhima being the inventor of Avial. 🙂
jazzfeathers says
April 2, 2015 at 1:00 amIt sounds good 🙂
I don’t think I can get all the ingredients though, but I may try it anyway, I’m really too curious 🙂
Indywrites says
April 1, 2015 at 11:46 pmGood recipe and the dish looks tempting but i am waiting for the non veg stuff! 😉
vishalbheeroo says
April 1, 2015 at 11:44 pmA yummy start to the challenge, Shalzzz
vishalbheeroo says
April 1, 2015 at 11:43 pmWhat a yummy start, Shalzz. A random recipe can work wonders to the heart:)
http://vishal-newkidontheblock.blogspot.com/2015/04/a-for-amour-parisian-love-story.html#gpluscomments
Morgan Dragonwillow says
April 1, 2015 at 11:37 pmI think he had the right idea, throw some ingredients together and call it good! I love trying new food especially from other cultures and I love cooking with all things coconut! Thanks for sharing!
Happy A to Z’ing!
Morgan,
A Poet’s Kitchen
Playing with Words
StoryDam
sundarivenkat says
April 1, 2015 at 11:12 pmI almost could smell the aroma as I read through your post Shalini. Yummy! The Tamil version is a bit different but equally good. I must try it your way some time. Thanks for sharing. Looking forward to reading more recipes from you 🙂
Kelly Martin (@KellyMartin_UK) says
April 1, 2015 at 11:03 pmI am literally drooling at the picture and recipe, I am looking for some great vegetarian recipes because my new partner is vegetarian and I no longer am, this looks and sounds delish! Thanks for sharing as part of the challenge. You can catch my posts for the challenge here: http://www.kellymartinspeaks.co.uk/ my theme is on a ‘Feelings’ I am an inspirational and self help blogger and author.
Shilpa Garg says
April 1, 2015 at 9:42 pmI have tasted avial once during my visit to Cochin for a workshop. And I have stayed away from it since then 😛 Liked the story you shared about Bhima!
Sabina says
April 1, 2015 at 9:10 pmThis looks DELICIOUS. Can’t wait for more of your recipes!
Tarkabarka says
April 1, 2015 at 7:11 pmI will have to try this at some point. I love the story of Bhima trying to cook! 🙂
Happy A to Z!
@TarkabarkaHolgy from
Multicolored Diary – Epics from A to Z
MopDog – 26 Ways to Die in Medieval Hungary
Sanch @ Living my Imperfect Life says
April 1, 2015 at 5:02 pmI’ll be honest…avial was never one of my favourites. I used to dread it when mum made it. You do make it sound quite tasty though! 🙂
Rachna says
April 1, 2015 at 3:31 pmAnd, I’ve always seen a watery avial. Your recipe is interesting too, Shalini.
ulekha says
April 1, 2015 at 3:24 pmI learnt cooking this dish in Kochi, and I love it. I used to look forward to Onam, learnt a lot of new things related to Onam.
Misha says
April 1, 2015 at 2:56 pmGoodness! This looks delicious. Bookmarking it because I might be called on to make something interesting that’s diet friendly. 😀
Archana (@yenforblue) says
April 1, 2015 at 1:14 pmAvial is among my favourites but I have never made it. This seems a good place to start. The story about Bhim is very interesting!
Prasanna Rao (@prasannaprao200) says
April 1, 2015 at 11:09 amI tried Avial few years back when I went for lunch to a friend who hails from Kerala. I loved it, but I guess she prepared the dish in her style because it was more of gravy. The pics look wonderful 🙂
Lata Sunil says
April 1, 2015 at 10:13 amAvial’s one of my fave dishes. Its the best way to get the kiddies eat all veggies.
shalzzzzz says
April 2, 2015 at 11:59 amHaha! Typical Mom! My mamma tried and I was a naughty kid who just wouldn’t even bother to taste Avial! 😛
parulthakur24 says
April 1, 2015 at 9:50 amI loved the story behind Avial and yes, the recipe is simple and the dish looks yum. Great start! 🙂
shalzzzzz says
April 2, 2015 at 11:58 amThank you 🙂
vidsps says
April 1, 2015 at 9:49 amI totally love Avial. I make it with raw mango, with curd and tamarind..all three types 🙂 My mother sometimes adds raw papaya and tender stems of spinach.
shalzzzzz says
April 2, 2015 at 11:44 amPapaya and spinach version is new to me! I will let Mom know about it! Thanks Vidya 🙂
Eli says
April 1, 2015 at 4:10 amThat looks so delicious. Loved it, and will try. A for Awesome start Shalini:-)
shalzzzzz says
April 2, 2015 at 11:43 amThat’s so sweet of you to say that! Thanks, Eli! Keep visiting! 🙂
Eloquent Mind says
April 1, 2015 at 2:24 amI have never been fond of Avial. But as years have passed, I seem to have developed a taste for it and now need to have something extra on my sadya leaf other than sambar 🙂 And didn’t know about the roots of this recipe. Very interesting.
shalzzzzz says
April 2, 2015 at 11:31 amThank you 🙂 I seem to have developed taste for few more dishes other than sambar as well. But definitely not avial 😛
Corinne Rodrigues says
April 1, 2015 at 2:23 amOoh..I love avial. I’ve tried making a variation and it didn’t turn out so well. Bookmarking this, Shalini.
shalzzzzz says
April 2, 2015 at 11:29 amI’m glad to know that you love this dish! Please try my variation and let me know how it turns out! 🙂
darkangelrocks says
April 1, 2015 at 1:33 amI do like avail but of course it depends on who’s making it. My mum’s is the best ( but then I would say that!)
shalzzzzz says
April 2, 2015 at 11:28 amI still wouldn’t eat it! 😛 Yeah, I’m that picky! Thanks for dropping by. Keep visiting!
Arlee Bird says
April 1, 2015 at 1:04 amThe origin story sounds similar to the way I cook. In fact I just finished making an improvised potato salad that we will have for dinner. I did do a taste test and it was delicious.
I do like curry. This one sounds very healthful.
Arlee Bird
A to Z Challenge Co-host
Tossing It Out
shalzzzzz says
April 2, 2015 at 11:26 amThank you for dropping by my space! 🙂 Keep visiting!
shanayatales says
April 1, 2015 at 1:03 amThat is a good start. I liked how you introduced the story of where it originated from, Shalini. Will come back for more.
*Shantala @ ShanayaTales*
shalzzzzz says
April 2, 2015 at 11:25 amThank you 🙂 keep visiting!
basilandoil says
April 1, 2015 at 12:44 amWow, this sounds amazing! Love the contrast in colours in this dish! Looking forward to more of your A-Z posts!
Vinay Leo R. says
April 1, 2015 at 12:10 amNot one of my favorites 😀 I usually eat the drumsticks and not the rest 😛
shalzzzzz says
April 2, 2015 at 10:51 am🙂 I don’t even eat that! 😛