Avial - A perfect healthy and tasty combo.

Ingredients:

1. Vegetables - chopped into wedges - 300 gms. 

2. Curd - 1 1/2 cups - Fresh , absolute thick curd. 

3. Coconut - 1 cup

4. Green chillies - 6 nos 

5. Cumin seeds - 1 tablespoon

6. Coconut oil - 1 tbsp

7. Mustard seeds - 1 tbsp

8. Curry leaves - 2 sprigs

9. Salt to taste

10. Hing - 2 tsp

Method:

1. Chop the vegetables into an inch sized wedges. I have used the following green vegetables and starchy vegetables.

please make sure to wash and peel the root vegetables, so that,  no mud/dirt is retained. Rinse them several times, even after peeling the skin, to make sure the vegetables are clean.

Green vegetables

1. Carrot - 1 small

2. Beans - 5 nos

3. cluster beans - 5 nos

4. Broad beans - 3 nos

5. Snake gourd  - 3 inch long piece

6. Pumpkin - 100 gms

Starchy vegetables:

1. Yam - 50 gms
2. Potato - 50 gms
3. Colocasia - 50 gms
4. Green plaintain / Raw Banana - 4 inch long

There are two ways of cooking the vegetables.

Method 1:
2. Steam the vegetables. you can put it in a cooker and cook for two whistles. this is very important. The vegeyables should be steamed and should not be mushy. Every vegetable should retain its shape , texture.


Method 2:
2. Heat coconut oil in a pan. Coconut oil is a must. once the oil is hot add the mustard seeds and let it splutter. Add the curry leaves and once it is fried, add the veggies. Add the salt and mix well, cover and cook for two minutes, for the veggies to soak in some flavour. From the kadai,  transfer it to a bowl and pressure cook.


The veggies might leave out some moisture. make sure to drain the veg stock. please do not waste the stock. add some salt and pepper and have it as a refreshment. The vegetables must be completely dry. there should not be any residual stock.

If you follow Method 1:
 3. Allow the veggies to cool.
4. Grind the coconut, chillies, cumin seeds into a smooth paste.
5. Once the veggies are cooled completely, add curd, ground paste and mix well. if the vegetables are not cool, the curd will become runny, spoiling the appeal of the entire dish.
6. Heat coconut oil, once hot, add mustard seeds, curry leaves, hing and add it to the Avial. Mix well and serve it with rice or Adai.


If you follow Method 2:

3. Allow the steamed veggies to cool completely.
4. Grind the coconut, chillies and cumin seeds into a smooth paste.
5. Once the veggies are cooled, add curd and the ground paste and serve with rice or Adai.