Vegan Avial/Vegetarian Avial Recipe
Avial or Aviyal is a popular and traditional mix vegetable curry recipe from the Kerala cuisine. Though this recipe is prepared in other states of south India too but with little variation based on region. Even the color also changes from state to state- the main reason is use of turmeric powder aka Haldi. Likewise tempering avial is also varies.
No matter what recipe you follow, this curry recipe is just not healthy and flavorful but also very hearty and satisfying too. Sharing with you all my version of Vegan Avial recipe, trust me your family is going to fall in love with it. This recipe is Gluten Free too. And since this recipe is healthy and serves a perfect comfort meal, you will not regrets making it again and again. Plus this curry comes together in just 30 minutes.
This curry is prepared using varieties of vegetables cooked in minimal oil and spices. What makes this curry special is fresh coconut and yogurt based paste, drizzle of coconut oil and fresh curry pata leaves garnishing. Sounds tempting…right? I have prepared this recipe using vegan yogurt. But if you like you can make it with regular whole milk yogurt too.
To make this recipe varieties of vegetables are used but not like usual veg mix combination of potato, peas and cauliflower etc. Few vegetables I used to make this recipe like raw banana/plantain, yam or even drum stick is something I don’t use in my regular cooking. Which makes this curry more special and unique by adding new flavors and nutrition to our diet. Win win situation…right?
The most common used vegetables to make this recipe are- Drumsticks, Carrots, White Pumpkin, Madras cucumber, Raw plantain, Pumpkin, Ash gourd, Green beans, Tendli, Yam/Suran, Snake gourd, Carrots, potato, chayote etc. Though the veggies used to make Avial are regional and seasonal but you can always alter the recipe depending on the availability and your personal preference.
This recipe is also part of Sadya- A traditional vegetarian meal prepared in Kerala during festivals which is usually served on a banana leaf as lunch. Avial can be served as side dish or main dish with steamed rice, how ever you serve this recipe makes perfect comfort meal. Please read through the notes before you start making this recipe. This recipe is simple to follow, just few ingredients should not be missed while making it.
Step by Step Instructions with Photos
Preparation
- Rinse all the vegetables with fresh water and pat dry.
- Then peel and cut them in long thick sticks, around 2inch. Keep cut banana immersed in water so that they do not darken.
Making Coconut Paste
- In a mixer grinder jar add roughly chopped fresh coconut, green chilies, ginger, cumin seeds, and dalia.
- Add coconut water or water and grind everything to a smooth paste.
- Keep aside.
Prepare Avial
- In a deep-wide pan or pot add all the chopped vegetables. First add those vegetable which take a longer time to cook. If veggies like drumstick and beans are tender then add them later.
- Sprinkle turmeric powder over the vegetables and add curry pata.
- Next add water and stir well.
- Now cover and cook vegetable on medium-low flame until half cooked. It will take around 7-8 minutes.
- Add remaining vegetable which take less time if you have any. Simmer all the vegetable till almost cooked. Do not overcook them.
- Once veggies are cooked add coconut paste and mix well. Simmer for 2-3 minutes.
- Add whisk yogurt and mix everything gently. Switch off the flame at this point or keep flame low or yogurt will curdle.
- Vegetable Avail is ready to serve if you want to skip tempering part.
- Garnish with curry leaves and drizzle coconut oil and serve hot with steamed rice.
Tempering(Optional)
Tempering is optional for Vegetable Avial, its really a personal preference. Temper or not, one thing is sure that Vegetable Avial tastes yum both ways.
- Heat oil in tempering pan, add mustard seeds and urad daal.
- Once mustard seed starts to crackle add curry leaves. Switch of the flame and pour over Vegetable Avial. Vegetable Avial is ready to serve.
- ½ cup Carrot
- ½ cup Green beans
- ½ cup Chow chow
- ½ cup Raw banana
- ½ cup Yellow pumpkin
- ½ cup Potato
- ½ cup Yam
- ½ cup Drum sticks
- 12-14pc Curry pata
- 2 cups Water
- 1 cup Fresh coconut (grated or roughly chopped)
- 2-3 pc Green chilies (roughly chopped)
- 1inch Ginger (roughly chopped)
- 1 Tsp. Cumin seeds
- 2 Tbsp. Dalia/Roasted bengal gram
- 1cup Coconut milk/Water for grinding
- 2/3 cup Vegan curd/Yogurt
- ½ Tsp. Haldi/Turmeric powder
- Salt to taste
- 1 Tbsp. Edible coconut oil
- 1Tsp. Oil
- ½ Tsp. Mustard seeds
- 1 Tbsp. Urad Daal
- 8-10pc Curry Pata
Rinse all the vegetables with fresh water and pat dry.
Then peel and cut them in long thick sticks, around 2inch. Keep cut banana immersed in water so that they do not darken.
In a mixer grinder jar add roughly chopped fresh coconut, green chilies, ginger, cumin seeds, and dalia.
Add coconut water or water and grind everything to a smooth paste.
Keep aside.
In a deep-wide pan or pot add all the chopped vegetables. First add those vegetable which take a longer time to cook. If veggies like drumstick and beans are tender then add them later.
Sprinkle turmeric powder over the vegetables and add curry pata.
Next add water and stir well.
Now cover and cook vegetable on medium-low flame until half cooked. It will take around 7-8 minutes.
Add remaining vegetable which take less time if you have any. Simmer all the vegetable till almost cooked. Do not overcook them.
Once veggies are cooked add coconut paste and mix well. Simmer for 2-3 minutes.
Add whisk yogurt and mix everything gently. Switch off the flame at this point or keep flame low or yogurt will curdle.
Vegetable Avail is ready to serve if you want to skip tempering part.
Garnish with curry leaves and drizzle coconut oil and serve hot with steamed rice.
Tempering is optional for Vegetable Avial, its really a personal preference. Temper or not, one thing is sure that Vegetable Avial tastes yum both ways.
Heat oil in tempering pan, add mustard seeds and urad daal.
Once mustard seed starts to crackle add curry leaves. Switch of the flame and pour over Vegetable Avial. Vegetable Avial is ready to serve.
Vegetables- The most common used vegetables to make this recipe are- Drumsticks, Carrots, White Pumpkin, Madras cucumber, Raw plantain, Pumpkin, Ash gourd, Green beans, Tendli, Yam/Suran, Snake gourd, Carrots, potato, chayote etc.
Cutting Vegetable- Cut the veggies into long finger or thick match stick style. This will help veggie hold their shape and contrasting colors looks really beautiful.
Cooking Vegetables- While making avial, its always important to have vegetables cooked well as well as same time hold their shapes. The vegetable should be cooked tender, not mushy or falling apart. So cook vegetables first that take longer time and then later add vegetables which take less time to cook.
Remember not to add more water as the vegetables too release a lot of their juices while cooking.
Coconut- If possible always use fresh coconut and coconut milk to make this recipe. If not available then you can use frozen shredded coconut and tinned unsweetened coconut milk.
Yogurt- Traditionally whole milk yogurt is used but to make it vegan use vegan yogurt. Sour yogurt works best for this recipe. You can also use Greek yogurt. Whisk yogurt before adding and add the yogurt in the end. Do not cook or boil it for long after adding it to the curry, it might curdle.
Coconut oil- Coconut oil is a must ingredient to enhance the flavors of this recipe and to relish the authentic taste of avial. Do not skip that.
Temper- Tempering avial is a personal preference. You can add or skip it.
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