Avial with steamed rice
Kerala's avial: raw banana, drumstick, yam, carrot, beans and gourds cut into batons and cooked just tender with a coarse paste of coconut, green chilli and cumin, soured with curd and finished with raw coconut oil and curry leaves. It is a must at the Onam sadhya and an everyday lunch with Kerala matta rice. Some homes use raw mango instead of curd.
- 45 minTime
- 30 minHands-on
- 4Portions
- 12 gprotein per portion
- 630kcal per portion
Ingredients for 4 portions
- 1Raw banana (plantain), green
- 2Drumsticks (moringa)
- 150 gSuran (elephant foot yam)
- 1Carrot
- 100 gGreen beans
- 150 gSnake gourd
- 150 gAsh gourd (winter melon)
- 3 mlTurmeric
- 2 sprigsCurry leaves
- ≈ 150 mlWater
- to tasteSalt
- 100 gGrated coconut
- 3Green chillies
- 1 tspCumin, seeds
- 150 gCurd, slightly sour, whisked
- 2 tbspCoconut oil
On the side
- 300 gRice, Kerala matta
Method
- Wash the rice and add it to a large pot of boiling water.
- Boil uncovered on medium heat for 35–40 minutes, until the grains are soft but whole, then drain in a colander.
- Peel the raw banana, yam and ash gourd, deseed the snake gourd and cut all the vegetables into finger-length batons, about 6 cm, so they cook evenly. Keep the raw banana in water so it doesn't darken.
- Put the yam, drumstick, raw banana, beans and carrot in a wide pan with the water, turmeric, salt and half the curry leaves. Cover and cook on medium heat for 8 minutes, then add the snake gourd and ash gourd and cook 4–5 minutes more, until just tender.
- Coarsely grind the coconut, green chillies and cumin seeds in the mixer with a splash of water – not to a smooth paste.
- Spread the coconut mixture over the vegetables, mix gently and cook for 3–4 minutes, until the raw taste is gone.
- Turn off the heat and fold in the curd gently so the vegetables don't break.
- Drizzle over the coconut oil, add the rest of the curry leaves, cover and leave for a few minutes for the flavours to settle.
- Serve the avial with the hot rice.
