How to Make Easy Sadhya Style Aviyal – അവിയൽ എളുപ്പത്തിൽ തയാറാക്കാം

Avial is a mixture of a large number of vegetables in the right proportions and it is very healthy and nutritious. In south India, these vegetables are grown and farmed. You will see many fields filled with snake gourd, cucumber, long beans, etc. It is very beautiful.

There is no strict guideline on how much each vegetable is needed for avial. Most of this is about the proportions and you will get an idea when cutting vegetables. You can add each of these vegetables in approximately 100-gram proportions or you can measure using a cup. This recipe is for a total amount of vegetables of 800-900 grams.

It is ok to add or remove any vegetables to your preference. When you cut the vegetables try to add everything in uniform-sized pieces so it looks nice and also cooks evenly.

Many people suggested that sambar chili gives a good taste to avail so if you have any it is good to add. How much Coconut mixture is needed? It depends on the amount of all vegetables. You will need scraped coconut from 1 medium coconut. Try to find coconut that is not too dry or tender. It should be juicy. In earlier days the coconut mixture was ground using a stone grinder.

Traditionally Avial is made in Uruli (round heavy metal utensils) but you can take any heavy bottom pan. The taste of these curries depends on the selection of vegetables, precision in cutting, the shapes and quality of ingredients, and the texture of the ground coconut mixture. All these different combinations enhance or break the taste of Avial. It is also important which vegetables you add first.

When you look at the recipe, it appears to be straightforward, but there are a few minor details that make a big difference in the flavor. The level of cooking of the vegetable pieces is the most important factor; they should not be overcooked or undercooked. In the first stage, do not overcook.

Cut vegetables as uniformly as possible so that it gets cooked evenly.

Variation of Avial Preparation

The preparation of avial is different in different areas of Kerala, for e.g some people do not add garlic or shallots to Avial. The difference is mainly in the coconut ground mixture such as:

Coconut Mixture Variation

• Coconut, green chilies, cumin seeds
• Coconut, green chilis, cumin seeds, small onion
• Coconut, green chilies, cumin seeds, small onion, garlic
• Coconut, cumin seeds, garlic

Adding Sourness to Avial

• Mango
• Tamarind
• Curd

The amount of sourness to Avial is a personal preference. There are different ways to add sourness to avail by using curd, mango, or tamarind. Our suggestion is to try these different variations once and choose the one best for your taste. As per the experts, for sadya, they often use mango for sourness. I prefer to use curd instead of mangos when I prepare avial at home. As you can see avial is so versatile and made it in different ways.

What Ingredients do you need for Avial?

• Ash Gourd (കുമ്പളങ്ങ)
• Yellow Cucumber (വെള്ളരിയ്ക്ക)
• Snake Gourd (പടവലങ്ങ)
• Yam (Elephant Foot/ചേന)
• Brinjal/Eggplant (വഴുതന)
• Carrot (കാരറ്റ്)
• Long Beans (പച്ചപ്പയർ)
• 1 Raw Plantain (നേന്ത്രക്കായ്‌)
• Ivy Gourd (കോവയ്ക്ക)
• Pumpkin (മത്തങ്ങ)
• Green Chilli (പച്ചമുളക്)
• Curry Leaves (കറിവേപ്പില)
• 2 Drumstick (മുരിങ്ങക്കായ്‌)
• Mango
• Sambar chilies

How To Cut Vegetables For Avial

Peel and chop them into medium to long sticks or batons. The vegetables should be cut into the consistency of a little thick potato french fry. Set aside the chopped vegetables.

Other Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon Turmeric Powder (മഞ്ഞള്‍പൊടി)
• 3 tsp Salt (ഉപ്പ്)
• 4 tablespoon Coconut Oil (വെളിച്ചെണ്ണ)
• 1 cup Water (വെള്ളം)
• 1/2 cup Curd (തൈര്)
• 1 1/2 teaspoon Cumin Seeds (ചെറിയ ജീരകം)
• 2 garlic cloves
• 2 cup Grated Coconut (തേങ്ങ ചിരണ്ടിയത്), 1 medium coconut.
• Shallots (ചെറിയ ഉള്ളി) – 5 to 10 Nos

How To Prepare Avial

Prepare and Cut Vegetables

To begin, thoroughly rinse all of the vegetables with water and then drain all of the water. Cut Yam into thin slices and set them aside in a bowl separately.

Rinse and cut all other vegetables in uniform sizes, then add this to a large heavy-bottom container.

Making Coconut Mixture for Avial

Add grated coconut, 3-4 green chilies, and 1 tsp cumin seeds to the mixture grinder. Grind it a bit more than what we usually do for making thoran. Add only very little water (1/4 cup) while grinding. Do not grind to paste. Coconuts should look like it is crushed. Adjust the number of chilies based on your preferred level of spiciness.

Cook Yam First

Cook the vegetables that take the longest to cook first, then add the vegetables that take the least amount of time to cook. Yam takes longer to cook so if you add that first and cook then it will cook with other vegetables.

Heat the pan over medium heat. Once the pan gets heated well, add 1 Tablespoon of coconut oil. When the oil is hot add cut yam into it and stir for 2 minutes. Coconut oil enhances the flavor of avial.

After 2 minutes add just enough water to cover Yam, about 1/2 cup water. Let it boil for 1-2 minutes.

Cooking All Vegetables

Add the rest of the vegetables on top of boiling Yam, 1 tsp turmeric powder, 1 tsp chili powder, and salt. Do not mix, cover the container with a lid. Cook for 10 minutes. The vegetables must be cooked soft, but not mushy or falling apart. When cooking vegetables, don’t add any additional water because the vegetables release a lot of their juices during the cooking process.

Note: Do not add too much chili powder otherwise the avial looks red instead of yellow color. The vegetables get cooked with the steam from the water at the bottom nicely.

Add Coconut Mixture To Avial

Remove the cover and now you can stir very well. Check that everything is cooked. Make sure the yam is cooked very well. If you take a piece of yam and pressed it down then it should be soft. At this time if you notice there is too much water at the bottom, you can drain it out if needed.

Add ground coconut mixture on the top and do not stir, only pressed down. The coconut mixture should stay on the top. Cover with a lid again. The coconut mixture gets cooked with steam and helps to remove the raw taste of coconut. Cook for 10 minutes.

Add Coconut Oil and Curry Leaves

Open the lid and check everything is steamed and cooked evenly. Stir very well to mix it all together. Turn off the flame. Add curry leaves and 1 1/2 tablespoon coconut oil. Cover with a lid and leave it for 10 minutes.

When Avial is ready and it gives a wonderful aroma. Serve with hot rice and enjoy!!

Avial Kerala Style

Avial is popular in both Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Avial is a mixture of a large number of vegetables in the right proportions, cooked with coconut and it is very healthy and nutritious. It is easy to make this Sadya Style Aviyal at home.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 45 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Indian

Servings 10

Ingredients

  

• Yam Elephant Foot/ചേന
• Ash Gourd കുമ്പളങ്ങ
• Yellow Cucumber വെള്ളരിയ്ക്ക
• Snake Gourd പടവലങ്ങ
• Brinjal/Eggplant വഴുതന
• Carrot കാരറ്റ്
• Long Beans പച്ചപ്പയർ
• 1 Raw Plantain നേന്ത്രക്കായ്‌
• Ivy Gourd കോവയ്ക്ക
• Pumpkin മത്തങ്ങ
• Green Chilli പച്ചമുളക്
• Curry Leaves കറിവേപ്പില
• 2 Drumstick മുരിങ്ങക്കായ്‌
• 2 Sambar chilies
• 1 teaspoon Turmeric Powder(മഞ്ഞള്‍പൊടി)
• 1 tsp chilli powder
• 3 tsp Salt(ഉപ്പ്)
• 1 cup Water(വെള്ളം)
• 4 tablespoon Coconut Oil വെളിച്ചെണ്ണ
• 2-3 green chilies

For Coconut Mixture

• 2 cup Grated Coconut(തേങ്ങ ചിരണ്ടിയത്) 1 medium coconut.
• 2-3 green chilies
• 2 garlic cloves optional
• 1/2 cup Curd (തൈര്)
• 1 teaspoon Cumin Seeds(ചെറിയ ജീരകം)
• 1/4 cup water

Instructions

 

• To begin, thoroughly rinse all of the vegetables with water and then drain all of the water.
• Cut Yam into thin slices and set them aside in a bowl separately.
• Rinse and cut all other vegetables in uniform sizes, then add this to a large bowl and set aside.

Prepare Coconut Mixture

• Add grated coconut, 3-4 green chilies, 2 garlic cloves, and 1 tsp cumin seeds to the mixture grinder. Grind it a bit more than what we usually do for making thoran. Add only very little water (1/4 cup) while grinding. Do not grind to paste. Coconuts should look like it is crushed. Adjust the number of chilies based on your preferred level of spiciness. Also garlic is optional .

Cook Yam

• Heat the pan over medium heat. Once the pan gets heated well, add 1 Tablespoon of coconut oil. When the oil is hot add cut yam into it and stir for 2 minutes. After 2 minutes add just enough water to cover Yam, about 1/2 cup water. Let it boil for 1-2 minutes.

Add all Vegetables

• Add the rest of the vegetables on top of boiling Yam, 1 tsp turmeric powder, 1 tsp chili powder, and salt. Do not mix, cover the container with a lid. Cook for 10 minutes. The vegetables must be cooked soft, but not mushy or falling apart.
• Remove the cover and now you can stir very well. Check that everything is cooked. Make sure the yam is cooked very well. If you take a piece of yam and pressed it down then it should be soft. At this time if you notice there is too much water at the bottom, you can drain it out if needed.

Add Coconut Mixture

• Add ground coconut mixture on the top and do not stir, only pressed down. The coconut mixture should stay on the top. Cover with a lid again. The coconut mixture gets cooked with steam and helps to remove the raw taste of coconut. Cook for 10 minutes.

Add Coconut Oil and Curry leaves

• Open the lid and check everything is steamed and cooked evenly. Stir very well to mix all together. Turn off the flame. Add curry leaves and 1 1/2 tablespoon coconut oil. Cover with a lid and leave it for 10 minutes.
• When Avial is ready and it gives a wonderful aroma. Serve with hot rice and enjoy!!

Notes

Avial Variation:

You can make the coconut mixture in the following combinations.

1. Coconut, green chilies (2-3), cumin seeds
2. Coconut, green chilis (2-3), cumin seeds, small onion (5-6)
3. Coconut, green chilies (2-3), cumin seeds, small onion, garlic (2-3 cloves)
4. Coconut, cumin seeds, garlic

Adding Sourness to Avial

• Mango
• Tamarind
• Curd (1/2 cup – 1 cup)

Keyword avial, onam sadya

Kerala Style Avial Recipe – Variation #1

Ingredients:

• 2 medium-sized Potatoes, peeled and diced
• 100g Yellow Cucumber, peeled and diced
• 6-8 Ivy Gourd, sliced
• 1 small Brinjal/Eggplant, diced
• 1 cup Ash Gourd, diced
• 1 Carrot, peeled and diced
• 100g Long Beans, chopped into 1-inch pieces
• 100g Pumpkin, peeled and diced
• 2 Drumsticks, cut into 2-inch pieces
• 2 Green Chilies, slit lengthwise
• 2 sprigs Curry Leaves
• 1 tsp Turmeric Powder
• 1 tbsp Salt
• 2 tbsp Coconut Oil

For Grinding Coconut:

• 1 1/2 tsp Cumin Seeds
• 1 cup Grated Coconut
• 5-6 Shallots
• Few Curry Leaves
• 2 Green Chilies

Instructions:

1. In a large pan, combine all the diced vegetables (potatoes, yellow cucumber, ivy gourd, brinjal/eggplant, ash gourd, carrot, long beans, pumpkin, and drumsticks).
2. Add turmeric powder, salt, and coconut oil to the vegetables. Mix everything together gently, pressing down the vegetables slightly.
3. Pour 3/4 cup of water over the vegetables. Do not stir after adding water.
4. Cover the pan with a lid and cook over high heat until it starts to boil.
5. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium. Keep the pan covered and cook for about 15 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.
6. If there is excess water after cooking, uncover the pan and let it cook for an additional 2-3 minutes to allow the water to evaporate.
7. Meanwhile, prepare the coconut mixture. In a blender, combine grated coconut, cumin seeds, shallots, curry leaves, and green chilies. Grind into a coarse paste without adding water.
8. Once the vegetables are cooked and excess water has evaporated, add the ground coconut mixture to the pan without stirring. Cover the pan and let it cook for another 2-3 minutes.
9. After 2-3 minutes, gently stir in the yogurt.
10. Finally, add 2 tablespoons of coconut oil and mix all the ingredients together gently.
11. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
12. Serve hot with rice or enjoy as a side dish with your favorite meal.

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