Aviyal/Avial

Aviyal is one of those dishes that look daunting to make but are surprisingly easy. I remember my great aunt making us a vessel full when my sister and I went visiting and a big "dabba" made it back home with us. I've never tried making it till this Sunday when I suddenly thought of her and decided my little girl needed to taste some of that goodness. Shopping for groceries is just a phone call away and one call, 20 minutes later I had all the things I needed. So here goes. Here's the aviyal I learnt to make from my great aunt, whose cooking and filter coffee stays with me till today.

Aviyal for 4

1 snake gourd
1 Madras cucumber
5 drumsticks
2 carrots
1 large potato
Half a coconut
100 gms of curd
2 tablespoons of tamarind paste
a teaspoon of cumin
3 dark green chillies
5-6 large curry leaves
1 tablespoon of vegetable oil


Cut the snake gourd, the cucumber and the potato into cubes. The drumsticks need to be at least 3 inches long after cutting and the carrots can be one inch strips.

Boil all the veggies in a big vessel with salt to taste. The vegetables have different cooking times with the drumsticks taking the longest. But boiling them together works well since the drumsticks have a nice crunch to them by the time the other veggies are cooked. Don't use too much water to boil the veggies since the aviyal will be a little watery and boiling it further to reduce the water will make the veggies a bit tasteless.
Once the veggies have cooked through grind the coconut, cumin and green chillies to a paste. Add it to the veggies, stir and cook for 5 minutes. Beat the curd in a bowl and keep ready. Switch off the gas and add the curd to the vessel.
Heat the oil in a tadka pan, add the curry leaves to it and once they start sputtering temper the veggies with it.

Done!

Serve with hot rice.

PS Make sure the veggies are cooked the way you want them before adding the curd. Avoid cooking further once you add the curd.