Aviyal - recipe with a lot of vegetables

 A dish that is common to Tamil, Kerala and Udupi cuisine, it does have variations according to the cuisine. A mixture of vegetables enriched with ground coconut and seasoned with coconut oil, this dish is quite similar to the mixed veg kootu. Aviyal is a very essential part of Kerala vegetarian Sadaya. 

Many think that it is a very tough dish to make, thinking of the different vegetables that you have to add to the dish, but in reality it is quite easy to make. Aviyal can be made in semi solid or super solid or liquid form. Every house hold has its own taste and vareity in making this aviyal. In marriages mostly it is made is super solid form so that it becomes a side dish. The semi solid or the liquid form can be mixed with rice or can be had with adai or pesarattu. 

Raw Banana, Potato and Carrot, if added in a bit excess quantity than the other veggies definitely give an enhanced taste. My mom makes it in liquid form and mil makes it in semi solid form and I make it in both ways as and how the need arises. It is definitely a whole some side dish as it has all the vegetables and all the benefits of all the vegetables can be had at one shot. 

Aviyal calls for a generous usage of coconut, but now a days, we all have become highly health consious, and so the quantity of the coconut could be reduced, but doing so will also reduce the authentic taste. 

Come on friends, once in a while indulgence is not going to do any harm. Try out this lip smacking aviyal recipe and enjoy your day. It is better to avoid brinjals as many get some kind of irritation. And if you really want to enjoy your aviyal, avoid drumsticks too, though the authentic Tambrahm version calls for drumstick. Oh its a pain to get struck eating drumsticks when relishing the taste of aviyal and the other veggies. 

Ingredients:

Potato - 1/2 kg

Carrot - 1/4 kg

Raw banana - 2 nos

White pumpkin - 1/4 kg

Yam (Chenai) - 1/4 kg

Beans - 200 gms

Cluster beans - 100 gms

Broad beans - 200 gmsAviyal before adding curd

Colocosia (seppankizhangu) - 1/4 kg

Coconut grated - 1 cup

Curry leaves - 1/2 cup

Coriander leaves - 1 bunch

Green Chillies - 8 nos (increase or decrease depending upon its spiciness)

Unsour curd - 1/2 litre

Salt - as per requirement

For Tempering:

Oil (cooking oil or coconut oil) - 2 tbsp

Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp

Curry leaves - 2 to 3 twigs

Method:

Chop all the vegetables except potato and colocasia to 1 inch length pieces. Grind coconut, green chillies, half bunch of coriander leaves and half of the curry leaves to a fine paste. Take the curd in a vessel and beat it well. 

Pressure cook potato and colacasia, peel the skin and dice big pieces of them. 

Boil all the vegetables along with the remaining curry leaves and when half cooked add the required salt for the vegetables and cook them in reduced flame. It is necessary to cover the vessel after you add the salt. 

When all the vegetables are cooked add the ground paste and add water and bring it to a boil in medium flame. Keep stirring so that it doesnot settle at the bottom. Once the raw smell of the ground paste is gone, remove from flame and add the beaten curd. 

The essence of the aviyal lies in tempering. Temper with just mustard seeds in cooking oil (Kerala aviyal calls for coconut oil for tempering). Place the curry leaves with its stick on top of the cooked aviyal and pour the tempering on the leaves which will give a better aroma and taste. Close the vessel immediatly after tempering. 

Mix well before serving it. Serve it with rice or adai or pesarettu. 

Note : It is always better to add curd just before serving to avoid aviyal becoming sour. I normally add it just before serving. 

Before adding curd

Kadamba Sambar

Most of the festivals call for a sambar in their menu and making this sambar without Onion is the trend. Mostly this sambar is made with all the veggies though at times just onion and tomato alone are added. 

Ingredients:

Drum stick - 1 no

Brinjal - 2 no

Carrot - 1 no

Potato - 1 no

Broad beans - 8 nos

Chow Chow - 1 small

Thuvar Dal - 1/2 cup

Tamarind Paste - 4 tbsp

Sambar Powder - 2 tsp

Hing powder - 1/2 tsp

Chopped coriander leaves - 1/4 cup

Curry leaves - 1/4 cup

For seasoning:

Gingely oil - 2 tbsp

Mustard seeds -1/2 tsp

Red Chilly - 1 no.

Method:

Pressure cook thuvar dal, mash and let it cool. Chop all the vegetables into reasonably big size. Cook all of them with required salt and turmeric powder in a Pressure cooker. (To save fuel, keep dal and the veggies on top of each and can be cooked at one time). In a hard bottom vessel add 2 cups of water and add tamarind paste and mix well. Add salt, hing and bring it to boil till the raw smell is gone. Add the cooked veggies, sambar powder, 1/2 of the curry leaves and bring it to boil. When it starts boiling add the dal and add required water so that it is not lumpy but in liquid form. When it bubbles, remove from flame, add the chopped coriander leaves.

Heat seasoning laddle, add gingely oil and when it is hot reduce the flame and add the mustard seeds when it splutters add red chilly. Spread the remaining curry leaves on the cooked sambar and pour the seasoning on top. 

Serve hot with rice and ghee or can be had with Pongal too. 

Thalagam/Thalatham/Thalatha Kuzhambu/Ericha Kuzhambu - A special side dish for Ven Pongal on Pongal Day

This is a special side dish made on Pongal. For this only the following vegetables are used and these vegetables are a must.

Ingredients:
White pumpin - 100 gms
Sweet Potato - 100 gms
Yellow pumpkin - 100 gms
Raw plantain - 1 no.
Drumstick - 1 no.
Avarai - 100 gms.
Green Chilly - 2 nos
Tamarind paste - 2 spoons
Grated coconut - 1/2 cup
Bengal gram - 2 tbs
Coriander seeds - 4 tbsp
Urad dal - 1 tbsp
Red chillies - 8 to 12 nos
Pea nut - 2 tbsp
sesame seeds - 1 tbsp
Curry Leaves - a few
Fenu greek seeds - 1/2 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Gingely Oil - 2 tbsp
Turmeric powder - 1 pinch
Asafodeita - 1 pinch
Salt to taste

Method:
Dry roast the sesame seeds separately till they splutter. When cool grind it separately and keep aside.

Heat 1 tbsp of oil and fry the grated coconut separately. Heat another tbsp of oil and fry coriander seeds, bengal gram, peanut and 6 red chillies adding one by one. When they turn golden brown in colour remove and let it cool. Grind it along with the fried coconut.

Cut all the vegetables into small cubes. Heat 2 cups of water in a shallow vessel. Add salt, turmeric powder, tamarind paste. Let it come to a boil and when the raw smell of the tamarind goes add the cut vegetables cover and reduce the flame. Let the vegetables get cooked soft. Add the ground paste and a cup of water. Mix thoroughly and bring it to a boil. Ensure that it doesnot settle at the bottom. Remove from flame.

Temper mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, green chillies, remaining red chillies. Cut curry leaves and spread it on the thalatam. Pour the tempering on top of the curry leaves. Mix well and serve it with Ven Pongal on Pongal day.

If this thalatham is left, the next day heat 2 to 3 tbsp of gingely oil and fry it well. Add the left over rasam, or kuzhambu or vathakuzhambu or koottu that is made on the next day. In olden days and also in villages, the kuzhambu is kept in a kalchatti and the flame keeps burning. It is had for 3 to 4 days. This is called as Ericha Kuzhambu and it tastes heavenly. 

This can be made as a sambar too by adding cooked thuvar dal. But if Thuvar Dal is added this need to be finished on the same day.

Samba Rawa Vegetable Upma

Ingredients:

Roasted Samba rawa - 1 cup 

Mixed vegetables - 

Potato,beans,carrots and peas. 

ginger- few cut finely 

green chillis-2(small) 

red chillies-2 

Onions- 1 big 

Tomatoes-2 medium 

curry leaves-few sprigs 

coriander -for grarnishing 

salt- as req. 

water-2 to 2 1/2 cups 

For seasoning- mustard, urad dal and chana dal( kadala parupu) 

Method: 

In a pan add little oil and when slightly hot, add mustard,then urad dhal, chana dhal and chilies (to suit to your taste) add ginger and curry leaves. Then add onions and saute . when onions turn translusent add tomatoes. Then add 2 cups of water and salt . when water begins to boil. add steamed vegetables( can be done in microwave or cook first keep aside) add turmeric.and mix well. simmer for a few minutes till the water gets fully absorbed . add a teaspoon ghee and mix well. 

Add coriander for garnishing. This is a very nutritious receipe and suits well for the diabetics.

Mixed Vegetable Bonda by Shripriya

Starter recipe posted by Shripriya Ramakrishan for party menu contest entry 1

Make the mixed vegetable curry with potato, carrot, beans, peas, capsicum etc., and make lemon sized balls. Instead of dipping it in the Besan gravy, we are going to wrap it in white bread. Remove the brown part in the bread, sprinkle little bit water on the white part, place the mixed vegetable ball on the bread, then wrap the mixed vegetable ball with the bread...if the bread is hard and you are not able to wrap, then wet your hands and try. It will work out. Then deep fry these rolls. The taste will be awesome. I made this for one of the potluck parties....and the guests were going ga-ga over this. :)

Veg Paratha by Uma Sridharan

Party menu recipe by Uma Sridharan

Ingredients:

Grated Carrot                                   1 Tbsp

Grated Cabbage                               1 Tbsp

Wheat flour                                      1 1/2 cup

Chopped Coriander leaves               Handful

Onion                                              1

Garam Masala Powder                     1/2 tsp

Red Chilli powder                            1/2 tsp

Salt

Method

Cut the Onions and grind it in a mixer grinder and prepare a smooth Onion paste.

In a mixing bowl, add grated Carrot, grated Cabbage, Coriander leaves, Red Chilli powder, Salt, Onion paste and Wheat flour.

Knead well all the ingredients and prepare smooth dough like the Chapathi/Paratha dough. If needed, add a little water while kneading.

Keep the dough aside for half an hour. Cover it by a wet cloth.

Divide the Paratha dough into small balls of suitable size and roll it out and cook on a tava on medium flame.

Spread ghee on the top of the Paratha.

Serve hot.

Veg Clear Soup by Uma Sridharan

Party Menu recipe posted by Uma Sridharan

Coarsely chopped cabbage, onion, carrot, spring onion and capsicum – ½ cup each

Very easy to make.

Boil 2 Ltrs of water.

Add enough salt.

Now add the vegetables. Simmer it for 5 mts. Serve hot.

Wheat Veggie Rolls by Bhooma Sudhakar

Wheat based recipe by Bhooma Sudakar

Ingredients:

 Atta – 2 cup

Maida – 1 cup

Carrot, cabbage, capsicum, peas – one cup each (finely chopped)

Green chillis – 2

Pepper powder – 1 tsp

Salt to taste

Oil to fry.

 

Method:

Mix the atta and maida with salt and water, make dough.

Heat the pan, pour little oil, add green chillis, all veggis stir well and half cook it. add pepper powder and salt. Keep it aside till it cools.

Make a small balls of atta, roll them into small pooris.

Take one spoon full of mixed veggis place it in one corner of the round, and roll it nicely and close the ends as the stuffing should not cum out when you fry. (make sure that you remove the green chills before stuffing)

Heat the pan, add oil, put the rolls one by one fry both the sides till it turns golden.

 

Now, Hot Wheat Veggi rolls are ready to serve with tomato sauce.  

 

suggestion :- pls add the green chillis, as whole. as it will be difficult to remove before stuffing.. 

7 Kari Kuzhambu

This is normally made on Thiruvadirai or on Pongal. As the name suggests, this Kuzhambu is made using minimum 7 different vegetables. More number of vegetables is used normally.

Ingredients:
Mochai Paruppu (Field Beans) - 1 cup
Pumpkin - 1/2 kg
Red Pumpkin - 1/4 kg
Sweet Potato - 1/4 kg
Raw Banana - 1 no.
Brinjal - 1/4 kg
Snake Gourd - 1/2 kg
Yam (Senai Kizhangu) - 1/4 kg
Beans - 1/4 kg
Cluster Beans (Kothavarangaai) - 1/4 kg
Chayote (chow chow) - 1 no
Carrot - 2 nos
Taro root or Colacasia (Cheppankizhangu) - 1/4 kg
Potato - 1/4 kg
Green chillies - 8 nos
Thuvar Dal - 1 cup
Red chillies - 12 nos
Coriander Seeds (Dhaniya) - 1/4 cup
Bengal gram dal - 1/5 cup
Grated Coconut - 1 cup
Tamarind Paste - 4 tbsp
Oil - 1/4 cup
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Methi seeds - 1 tbsp
Turmeric Powder - 1 tsp
Solid Asafodeita - 1 inch piece
Asafodeita powder - 1 tsp
Salt to taste

Method:
In a pan add 2 tbsp of oil and fry coriander seeds, bengal gram dal, red chillies and grated coconut. Grind them to a very fine paste.

Wash peel and dice yam into big pieces. Peel potatoes and cut it into bigger pieces. Pressure cook yam, potatoes, Sweet potato and Taro root. Peel the Taro root, Sweet Potato and cut it into 2 pieces. Peel white and red pumpin and cut it into bigger pieces. Peel the carrot, chayote and cut them too into bigger pieces. Destring the beans and cut them to reasonably sized pieces. Cut the cluster beans into two.

Heat oil in a pan and add cluster beans and saute them for a while. Add field beans to it, and cook it in 1/2 cup of water for some time. Add all the other vegetables (except potato, yam etc), turmeric powder and rock salt (just for vegetables) and cook for about 5 mins keeping the vessel closed. Turn the vegetables without mashing them. Add the potato, yam etc along with 4 slit green chillies. Cook till all the vegetables become 1/2 cooked.

Add 1 cup of water to the tamarind paste and add it to the boiling vegetables. When it boils add the ground paste. In the mean time pressure cook Thuvar Dal and mash well. Add that too to the boiling liquid. When it boils well remove from flame and add finely chopped curry leaves and coriander leaves.

Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a seasoning laddle add mustard seeds, bengal gram dal, urad dal and 4 red chillies and add it to the sambar.

Khar - Vegetables with Lentils

A vegetarian dish from Assam.

Ingredients:
Papaya - 1/2 kg
Ash Gourd - 1/2 kg
Garlic - 6 cloves
Ginger paste - 2 tbsp
Green Chilly - 2 nos
Salt to taste
Sugar - a pinch
Mustard Oil - 1 tbsp
Red Lentils (Masoor Dal) - 1/2 cup

Method:
Peel, wash and dice the vegetables. Heat oil in a pan, and when hot add one green chilly, ginger paste and chopped garlic when it starts turning brown, add lentils and vegetables and stir well. Add salt and cover it and cook till the vegetables become pulpy. Remove from flame and garnish it with green chilly sauted in oil.

Serve hot with cooked rice.

Note: Instead of Mustard oil, any other vegetable oil can be used. To alternate taste, moong dal can be added instead of Masoor dal

Mixed Vegetable Sagu - side dish recipe for dosas and chappatis

Ingredients:
Carrot - 2 nos
Potato - 2 nos (big)
cabbage - 100 gms
beans - 100 gms
cauliflower florets - 1 cup
chow chow - 1 no.
coconut - 1 no
Fried gram - 2 tbsp
Onion - 1 big
Green chillies - 6 nos
Cloves - 2 nos
Cinnamon - 1 inch piece
Cardamom - 2 nos
Ghee - 1 tbsp
Oil - 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste

Method:
Grate coconut finely. Cut the vegetables into small cubes and pressure cook them. Slit green chillies into 2. Chop onions finely. Grind fried bengal gram, khus khus, coconut and 4 green chillies

Heat 1 tbsp of ghee and 1/2 tsp of oil in a pan. Add cloves, cinnamon sticks, cardamom and saute for a second. Add onion and 2 green chillies and saute till onion becomes glassy.

Add the cooked vegetables and the ground paste and bring it to boil and till the mixture gets thicken. Add required salt at the end and mix well and remove from flame.