Aviyal

Aviyal is a delightful mix of many vegetables. It is a must for festivals like Onam or wedding sadhya. It can be prepared with thick gravy as a side dish or by adding more curds you can make the gravy thin to mix with rice. This is a very simple and healthy dish.

All vegetables go in it, except perhaps, some mushy vegetables like ladies fingers, tomato, brinjal, beetroot (because of the colour) , cabbage, cauliflower, radish, onion etc. Since a variety of vegetables are used for this, you require only small quantities of each of them.

The wonderful aroma to this dish comes from the coconut oil. So the oil cannot be substituted.

Here is the recipe.

Ingredients:
Vegetables cut lengthwise around 2" pieces - 2 cups
(Vegetables like Yam, Raw banana, Cluster beans, Carrot, Snake gourd, Beans, Drumstick, etc can be used)

Curds (lightly sour)- 3/4 cup
Grated fresh coconut - 1/2 cup
Green chillies - 3-4
Coconut oil - 3 tbsp
Curry leaves - 5-6
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Salt

Method:
Grind the coconut and green chillies using little water and keep aside.
In a vessel put the vegetables and add enough water to just cover the vegetable. Add turmeric and salt and boil the vegetables till just done. The vegetables should not be overcooked.
Add the coconut mixture to the boiling vegetables. Then add the curds. Finally add the curry leaves and coconut oil and toss till the vegetables are coated with the coconut and curds mixture.
As mentioned earlier, if you want the gravy to be thin, you can add more curds. Adjust salt accordingly.
Serve as a side dish for dosa, chappathi or poori or as main dish for rice.

Preparation Time: About 20 mins
Serves: 3-4 people