Avial

Ingredients:

Plantain(Raw Banana) -1
Small Cucumber-1
Potato-1
Carrot-1
Brinjal-1
Drumstick-1
Cluster Beans (Kothavarangai)-5 nos
Small Snake gourd-1/2
Turmeric powder-1/4 tsp
Tamarind-very small lemon size
Salt for taste
Coconut oil-2 tbsp
Curry leaves

To grind:

Cummin seeds- 1/2 tsp
Green chillies -3
Grated Coconut -4 tbsp

Cooking Procedure:

Kerala avial:

1.Cut all the vegetables lengthwise like you cut for finger chips, say 3" long.
2. Cook all the vegetables in tamarind water for 10 mins.Add turmeric powder. Be sure to add very little tamarind water as the dish will get too watery. The main reason being the mix of all watery vegetables viz. cucumber,snake gourd,etc.
3.Grind the said ingredients with very little water.
4.Once the vegetables are cooked, add the ground paste, salt and mix well.
5.Temper curry leaves in coconut oil and pour on the dish, mix well.

The consistency should be thick and little dry if you want the avial to be very authentic.Ensure not to overcook veggies.The smell of coconut oil must be the highlight. Can use raw mango to the veg mix but avoid tamarind in that case.

Madras avial:

A slight variation in the mix of vegetables and ingredients. Ash gourd as a replacement to cucumber; yam will be an addition to the veg mix. Avoid turmeric and add a small cup of slightly sour thick curd in the end. Reduce the amount of coconut oil.

The consistency should always be thick in both the cases.