Aviyal

The Aviyal That Saved My Vegetables

Looking at the bright side of a pandemic, the benefits were many and, in their own way, meaningful.

Limiting travel gave the environment, the sky, the air and our lungs a much-needed break. On the social side, the pandemic gave us an opportunity to reconnect with family and home.

I started meditating both in the morning and evening, and began watching the sunrise and sunset. These little things helped me slow down and compose myself.

Health-wise, the pandemic reminded us once again of the importance of health, personal hygiene, sterilisation, disinfectants and, of course, healthy eating.

Having said that, it had been almost two weeks since I had stepped out. I usually buy vegetables every week, but this time, knowing there could be a lockdown, I had bought a little extra. Even so, I had managed to exhaust almost everything.

There was one last carrot, a couple of beans and a few other odds and ends sitting in the fridge. Definitely not enough to make anything substantial.

So there I was, raiding the fridge for every vegetable I could lay my hands on, trying to figure out what to cook, when my dear friend from Qatar called.

I was complaining to her about how I had absolutely no idea what to make with the few vegetables I had left.

The Malayali in her was quick to respond:

“You always have enough to make Aviyal!” 😄

And she was absolutely right.

You really do always have enough vegetables to make Aviyal. Anything and everything can go into this dish. And during a lockdown, when you're trying to make the most of whatever is left in the refrigerator, that makes Aviyal pretty much the perfect dish.

Aviyal is a traditional Kerala dish made with mixed vegetables and is an important part of the Onam Sadya.

I’m not very sure which vegetables go into the traditional recipe, so for this version, I’ve simply used the vegetables I had available at home. No-rules recipe! 😊

Ingredients

Vegetables

• Assorted vegetables – 3 cups, cut lengthwise
  (I used carrot, beans, potato and raw plantain)
• Turmeric powder – ½ tsp
• Water – 1½ cups
• Salt – to taste

To Grind

• Grated coconut – ½ cup
• Green chillies – 3–4 (depending on how spicy you like it)
• Jeera (cumin) – 1 tsp
• Pepper powder – ½ tsp
• Water – 2 tsp

To Finish

• Plain yogurt – ¼ cup, whisked
• Coconut oil – 2 tsp
• Curry leaves – a few

Cooking Method

1. Grind the coconut, green chillies, jeera, pepper powder and 2 tsp water into a thick paste.

2. Place the vegetables in a pan and add the turmeric powder, 1½ cups water and salt.

3. Cook until the vegetables are tender but still have a slight crunch. Be careful not to overcook them or let them turn mushy.

4. Add the ground coconut paste. Cover and cook until the raw taste of the coconut paste disappears.

5. Add the whisked yogurt and gently mix everything together.

6. Cook for another 2 minutes.

7. Turn off the heat and finish with coconut oil and fresh curry leaves.

Notes

• I have made this version a little more watery because this was the only dish I made for the day. Traditionally, aviyal is generally thicker in consistency and served as an accompaniment or side dish.
• Yogurt is optional. You can alternatively add 1 tsp tamarind pulp or lemon juice for a little tang.