Aviyal

Aviyal is another typical kerala dish which has a unique place in a typical Kerala cuisine. It is considered an essential part of the Sadhya.
This is one dish I love with my heart and soul. It sure is an ingenuine way of making kids eat vegetables in a delicious form.

Ingredients:
1 raw banana, peeled and diced
1/2 cup yam peeled and diced
1 brinjal diced
2 carrot
1 tomato
6" piece snake gourd peeled and diced
2 drumsticks peeled and cut in3" pieces
1 medium sized cucumber/white pumkin/ snake gourd diced
5-6 string beans,strung and chopped to 1" pieces
1 large onion peeled and diced
1 cup coconut ground to a paste
2 stalks curry leaves
5 green chillies slit lengthwise
2 tbsp. tamarind pulp or paste as per taste
1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
3/4 tsp. red chilli powder
salt to taste
2 tbsp. oil

Method:
Pour 1 cup water in large deep vessel.
Put to boil, add chilli and turmeric powders.
Add yam, banana, drumsticks, snakegourd, stringbeans, carrot.
Cover and simmer for 5 minutes.
Add cucumber, brinjal, onion, tomato cook till tender but not mushy.
Add slit chillies, coconut paste, tamarind paste and simmer for 2 minutes.
Just before taking off fire, season with oil, mustard and curry leaves.
Serve hot with rice....

Suggestions:
The total sliced vegetables should total approximately five cups. When boiling add very little water if the veggies you add are rich in water (cucumber etc.) Add the sliced green chilies to the boiling vegetables if you don't like it too hot, else blend it with the coconut. Add the veggies that take longer to cook like plantain first, then beans etc. You can use tamarind/ curd /lime juice/raw mango for a little sour taste. You can season with mustard seeds if you wish but I prefer not to add any more oil (the coconut has enough of it). This dish can be made into a gravy and eaten with rice or be made into a semi-solid side dish.