Aviyal

Aviyal is a dish that is made in southern part of India. It is a mixture of many vegetables in a paste of coconut and medium sour curd/yogurt.In Kerala it is prepared for any function...let it be marriage,festivals,birth ceremony and also just as a dish on a normal day.

1. Vegetables like: (cut lengthwise to medium size)-2cup

                         Carrot

                         Yam/elephant foot yam/Chena

                         White pumpkin/ellavan

                         French Beans

                         Drumsticks

                         Long beans/payar

                         Raw Banana.

                         Bitter gourd

2. Grated coconut-1/2 cup

3. Green chilly -2 no(roughly chopped)

4. Turmeric Powder- 1/2 tsp

5. Curry leaves, a few

6. Salt to taste

7. Curd/yogurt-1/2cup(medium sour)
8. Coconut oil-2tsp

Method Of Preparation:
1. Cook all the vegetables with little water till they become tender.See that they don't lose their shape and don't get overcooked.
2. Meanwhile grind together green chilly and grated coconut using little curd.The mixture should not be too smooth or watery.
3. Once the vegetables are cooked,see that there is little water only, add the ground paste into it. Mix well.
4. Let it boil once on low flame.Then add curry leaves to it and switch off the flame.After that add 2 tsp of coconut oil .
5. Serve with steamed rice.

Tips:

1.The vegetables must be cut evenly into long thin pieces;so that all the pieces cook evenly at the same time..

2.Water must be just enough to cook the veggies.If you feel that you need little gravy add little curd along with the ground mixture.Too much of water spoils the taste.
3.Do not overcook vegetables.

4.Some vegetables take longer time to cook compared to others...in that case cook them first and when half cooked add the remaining vegetables.

5.After adding the paste don't boil it long as the taste will change once curd gets boiled for long time.