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South Indian · Indian

Avial

Vegetarian

അവിയൽ · aviyal

Batons of mixed vegetables cooked until just tender and coated in coarse ground coconut, green chilli and cumin, soured with yogurt and finished with raw coconut oil.

Avial is a South Indian side dish, ready in about 45 minutes and made with coconut, yogurt and coconut oil. It serves 4 and is rated easy to cook.

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A serving of Avial
Photo: Samphotography / Wikimedia Commons · CC-BY-SA-4.0
Prep
25 min
Cook
20 min
Total
45 min
Serves
4
Level
Easy
Calories
284

Ingredients

4 servings

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Put the firmer vegetables (plantain (opens in a new tab), carrot (opens in a new tab), beans) in a wide pan with the turmeric (opens in a new tab), salt and water. Cover and cook 6 minutes, then add the pumpkin (opens in a new tab) and cucumber (opens in a new tab) and cook until all are just tender with little liquid left.

  2. Step 2

    Pulse the coconut (opens in a new tab), green chillies and cumin (opens in a new tab) to a coarse paste with a splash of water — don't make it smooth.

  3. Step 3

    Fold the coconut (opens in a new tab) paste into the vegetables and cook 3 minutes, stirring gently so the vegetables stay whole.

    • 3 min
    • medium-low heat

  4. Step 4

    Lift the pan off the burner, fold in the yogurt (opens in a new tab), then drizzle with coconut oil (opens in a new tab), tuck in the curry leaves (opens in a new tab) and cover for 5 minutes so the aroma soaks in.

    • 2 min

About this dish

Origin
Kerala, India · Well documentedA fixture of the Kerala sadya feast; also made in Tamil Nadu.More food from India
Dish
Lunch · Side dishes
Cooking method
Simmered, Steamed
Taste
mild, creamy, tangy, fresh
Diet
Vegetarian (lacto-ovo) · No gluten ingredients · No nut ingredients
All labelsVegetarian (lacto-ovo) · Eggetarian · Lacto-vegetarian · Pescatarian · Flexitarian-friendly · Whole-food focused · No gluten ingredients · Egg-free · No nut ingredients · No added sugar · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free · Carb-conscious
With the listed swaps: Vegan, Plant-based, Ovo-vegetarian, Paleo-style, Dairy-freeWorked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Good for
Festive & celebration · One-pot
Cook more with
Coconut · Yogurt · Coconut oil · Carrot · Green beans · Plantain
Techniques
Simmering · Steaming

Allergens

  • Contains, can be adapted: Milkfrom yogurt

Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

Nutrition

284 kcal per serving

Estimated

1 serving ≈ 294 g · recipe makes 4

Where the energy comes from

  • Protein 6%
  • Carbohydrate 39%
  • Fat 55%
Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
NutrientPer servingPer 100 g*
Energy284 kcal97 kcal
Protein4.4 g1.5 g
Carbohydrate29.9 g10.2 g
Net carbohydrate24.4 g8.3 g
Sugars15.6 g5.3 g
Added sugars0 g0 g
Fibre5.5 g1.9 g
Fat18.5 g6.3 g
Saturated fat15.4 g5.2 g
Trans fat——
Cholesterol5 mg2 mg
Sodium633 mg216 mg
Salt equivalent1.6 g0.5 g
Vitamins & minerals per serving
Potassium
744 mg
Calcium
94 mg
Iron
2.3 mg
Magnesium
54 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)
459 µg
Vitamin C
30 mg
Vitamin D
0 µg
Vitamin B12
0.1 µg
Folate (DFE)
44 µg

How these numbers were made

  • Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
  • *Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
  • Not counted (tiny amounts or “to taste”): curry leaves.
  • “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
  • Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

Good to know

Tips

  • Cut all the vegetables to the same size batons so they cook evenly.

Common mistakes

  • Overcooking the vegetables into mush — each should keep its shape.

Serve with

  • Serve with rice and sambar or as part of a sadya.

Storage

  • Keeps 2 days refrigerated.

Reheating

  • Warm gently without boiling so the yogurt doesn't split.

Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated

Recipe DNA

How this dish is built

Grouped by each ingredient’s role in the dish. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

What the dish is built around

Main ingredient

  • Carrot, cut into 5 cm batons2 piece · 120 g
  • Green beans, cut into 5 cm lengths100 g
  • Plantain, raw green plantain, peeled and cut into batons1 piece · 180 g
  • Pumpkin, ash gourd or pumpkin, cut into batons150 g
  • Cucumber, cut into batons0.5 piece · 150 g
  • Coconut, freshly grated120 g
  • Yogurt, slightly sour, whisked150 g
Used in steps 1, 2, 4

Reviews & corrections

Reviews come from signed-in cooks and appear after a moderator checks them. We never show made-up ratings.

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