Amma’s Avial (Aviyal) / South Indian Avial / Mixed Vegggies Cooked in a Coconut Masala

One of the most common recipe which mom makes several times a week is this avial. This is one of the staple recipe in our house and i love it so much. I have a version of malabar avial in my blog. But i have missed to post my mom’s version of avial. So this is it. Since onam is around the corner, you can incude this in the onam sadya menu list.

When i asked my mom for this recipe, she gave me few important points which she insisted me to mention in the post. 

1)Dont add salt to the vegetables in the begining. This will make them tough and not cook properly.
2) Add turmeric powder twice so it gets nice colour and flavour.
3) If you use very sour mango, neglect the tamarind or taste the avial and add in the end.
4) Don’t add too much water while cooking the vegetables. Add little and cook them

Preparation Time : 20 mins
Cooking Time : 35 to 40 mins
Serves – 5 to 6


Ingredients:

Raw Banana / Vazhakai- 1/2 cup peeled and cut lengthwise
Brinjal / Kathirikai- 1/2 cup cut lengthwise
Drumstick / Murungaikai – 1/2 cup cut lengthwise
Potato – 1/2 cup cut lengthwise
Carrot – 1/2 cup cut lengthwise
Elephant Yam / Chena Kizhangu- 1/2 cup cut lengthwise
Cucumber – 1/2 cup cut lengthwise
String Beans – 5 cut lengthwise
Cluster Beans / Kothavarangai – 5 cut lengthwise
White Pumpkin – 1/2 cup cut lengthwise
Snake Gourd / Pudalangai – 1/2 cup cut lengthwise
Turmeric Powder / Manjal Podi – 1.5 tsp
Salt to taste
Water – 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup
Sour Raw Mango – 1/2 cup
Tamarind Pulp – 2 tsp or to taste ( Click here for recipe)


For Grinding:
Coconut – 2 cup grated        
Green Chilli – 4 to 5
Cumin Seeds / Jeerakam – 1 tsp
Shallots / Sambar Onion / Chinna Ulli – 1 



For Tempering / Seasoning:
Oil – 1 tblspn
Mustard Seeds / Kaduku – 1 tsp
Curry leaves – 1 spring

Method:
  
Grind all the ingredients given in the list to a little coarse paste without adding any water. Set this aside till use.

Take all vegetables in a thick bottom pan. Sprinkle in 1/2tsp of turmeric  powder and mix well. Add in water and press the vegetables with your hands so everything is well immersed.

Cover this with a lid and bring it to a boil. Simmer this for 10 mins till the vegetables are half cooked.

Add in raw mango, salt and mix well. Cover again and cook for 10 more mins or till  the vegetables are completely cooked.

Now add in the ground masala, 1 tsp of turmeric powder, tamarind pulp and mix well.Cook this for 5 mins.

Now make seasoning. Heat oil and crackle mustard seeds and curry leaves. Pour this over the avial and mix well.

Serve with rice.


Pictorial:

Prepare your veggies

Take all ingredients for blending in a mixer

Make into a coarse puree

Take all veggies in a pan

Sprinkle some turmeric

Mix well

Pour in water

Amma presses the veggies down, so it cooks evenly

Now time to cook

Cover and cook

Cook till the veggies are half done

Add in raw mangoes

Season with salt

Cook again

Add the coconut masala

Sprinkle little more turmeric

Pour some tamarind

Cook

Till done

Heat oil

Add in mustard seeds

Throw in curry leaves

Done

Pour over the avial and mix

Serve

Enjoy