Avial - Mixed Vegetables in coconut gravy

Avial is a delightful mix of vegetables in coconut gravy. It is basically a kerala based recipe but is also famous in Tamil Nadu. This is one of mine and my hubby's  favourite dish. It is simple yet delicious dish. It goes well with small onion sambar and aloo curry. This is our standard menu whenever I prepare Avial :-). So here goes the recipe....

Ingredients:

Mixed Vegetables - carrot, beans, drumstick, pumpkin and any other vegetable of your choice

Coconut gravy:

Grind:

Coconut - 1 cup

Green chillies - 4-5

Cumin seeds - 1 tsp

Oil - 1 tbsp (preferably coconut oil)

Salt to taste

Turmeric powder - a pinch

Curds - 2 tbsp

Method:

Boil the vegetables with little water. Add salt and turmeric powder. See to that the vegetables should not be over cooked. Grind the above ingredients coarsely. Once the vegetables are cooked, add the paste and mix well. Allow it to boil for 5 min. Lastly add the curds and mix well. Heat oil in a pan, add curry leaves. Once they splutter, add it to the avial. Mix well and serve hot with rice. If you dont like the taste or smell of coconut oil, you can add the curry leaves as it is without the oil.

Brinjal Curry

This is my hubby's special preparation. He prepares this curry so well. A very simple and tasty dish. Tastes good with rasam rice.

Ingredients:

Brinjal - 10-12 (chopped)

Onion - 2 (chopped lengthwise)

Tomato - 1 (chopped)

Red chilli powder - 1 tbsp

Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

Tamarind juice - 1 tbsp

Salt a per taste

For Tadka:

Mustard seeds, curry leaves, urad dal, channa dal

Method:

Heat oil in a pan. Add all the ingredients of tadka. After it is done, add onion and tomato. Fry well till the oil gets seperated. Add the chopped brinjal. Add tamarind juice, red chilli powder, turmeric powder and salt. Close and allow to boil. Remove the lid and fry in open pan for few minutes. Serve hot with rice / chapathi. Simple na...but really delicious...

Snake Gourd Curry

Ingredients:

Podalangai / snake gourd - 1 cup (chopped)

Coconut scrappings - 1 handful

Mustard seeds, urad dal, channa dal

Green chillies - 2

Oil

Salt to taste

Method:

In a kadai, heat oil. Add the mustard seeds. Once they start to splutter, add urad dal, channa dal and chillies. Fry well. Add the chopped snake gourd. Mix well. Sprinkle some water. Close the lid and allow the vegetable to become soft. It should not become too soft also. After it is done, fry for sometime on medium flame. Add salt. Lastly add the coconut and mix well. This vegetable will go well along with sambar / rasam rice.

Avarakkai Curry

Ingredients:

Avarakkai - 2 cups - chopped

Moong dal - 2 tbsp

Coconut - 1/4 cup

For seasoning: Mustard seeds, channa dal, urad dal, curry leaves, red chilli

Salt - as per taste

Oil - 1 tbsp

Method:

Heat oil in a pan. Add the ingredients for seasoning. After it is done, add the avarakai and mix well. Add moong dal and salt. Sprinkle some water. Close the lid and let it cook for sometime in low flame. After it is well cooked, let it fry in open pan. Lastly add the coconut scrapings. This will go well with rasam rice.  

Porucha kootu

Ingredients:

Cabbage - 1 cup

Carrot - 1

Peas - 1/2 cup

Any other vegetables of your choice

Grind:

Pepper - 1 tsp

Coconut (shredded) - 1 cup

Green chilli - 3-4

For tadka:

Mustard seeds, cumin seeds, curry leaves

Method:

Cut all the vegetables and pressure cook them with little water. Keep it aside. Grind the above ingredients with little water to make a paste. In a pan, add oil and the ingredients of tadka.. Add the vegetables. Mix well.  Lastly add the grounded paste. Boil. Serve hot with rice and sambar.

Potato roast

Ingredients:

Potato - 5-6 - boiled and chopped

Chilli powder - as per taste

Salt - as per taste

Bread crumbs / besan powder - 1 tbsp

Mustard seeds, urad dal, channa dal, hing - for tadka

Method:

Chop the potatoes and keep aside.

In a pan, add some oil, mustard seeds, urad dal, channa dal and hing. Allow them to splutter. Put the chopped potatoes and mix well. Add salt and chilli powder. Mix well. Let it cook in medium heat. Add the bread crumbs or besan powder. Cook in low heat till crispy. Serve hot. This will be good with sambar or rasam rice.

Bread crumbs are used to make the dishes crispy and tasty. Try it out.

Dondakkai curry

Ingredients:

Dondakkai / kovakkai - 1 kg (chopped into small pieces)

Onion - 2-3 (chopped)

Tomato - 2 (chopped)

Red Chilli powder - 1-2 tsp / as per taste

Corriander powder - 1/2 tsp

Besan - 1 tbsp

Salt - as per taste

For Tadka:

Mustard seeds, urad dal, channa dal, hing

Method:

In a tawa, add oil and the ingredients for tadka. After it is done, add onion and tomatoes. Fry well. Add the chopped kovakai. Mix well. Close the lid and wait till the vegetable is cooked. Then add chilli powder, salt and corriander powder. Mix well. Lastly add the besan powder and mix well. Lower the stove and cook for 10 min. Serve hot with rice.