Avial Recipe

AVIAL 

Avial is a traditional and typical form of curry well known in Kerala, this is a  mixture of different vegetables especially prepared during some special occasions like marriages and other well known festivals like Onam and Vishu.

Sadya is a feast cooked during special occasions served on a platter especially leaves of banana shrubs garnished with Boiled Rice and different types of curries mainly Sambar, Rasam, Avial, Olan, Koottu Curry, Thoran, Elisseri, Pachadi, Pulisseri, Pappadam, Achar, Varavu, Sarkkara, Daal Pradhaman, Palada Pradhaman during special occasions. 

The origin of Avial dates back to Mahabharata when Pandavas assigned Bhima the second among the five Pandavas for cooking food for their family, as per the instructions given by others, he had to make a curry which was never been in any list of curries at that period. Bhima take it as a challenge and he prepared a curry out of 9 vegetables.  It is heard that since then this Mix Vegetable curry (Avial) is famous in Kerala traditions. The vegetables and other items for Avial  are:

1.    Drumsticks (Muringakka) -02 Nos. to cut into pieces remove outer layer

2.    Carrots – 02 Nos.

3.    Raw banana-01 No.

4.    Elephant Foot – 100 gms.

5.    Ivy Gourd (Vellari) – 150 gms

6.    Bitter Gourd(Paavakka) – 150 gms.(optional)

7.    Turmeric (Haldi) Powder – ½ tbsp

8.    Green Chilly(Mirchi) -03 Nos.

9.    Coconut (Nariel)– grated – 1 cup.

10. Curd – 01 cup

11. Cumin seed – ½ tbsp.

12. Garlic -06 petals

13. Oil as needed.

14. Water for boiling

   

Elephant foot

Carrot

Muringakka - Drumstick

SADYA

Procedure To Prepare Avial

Slice Carrots, Drumsticks, Raw Banana, Ivy Gourd and Elephant Foot(Chena) on a diamond shape.

Make small pieces of all other vegetables.

Place a Kadai, add water to boil all the vegetables from Sr.No. 1 to 6 also add one tbsp. salt add one tbsp. oil and ½ tbsp. turmeric powder.

Boil till some fragrance of boiled vegetable occurs.

Add grated coconut, green chilly (as per need), cumin seed, garlic into a Mixer to make a half smooth paste. 

Add the paste in to the boiled vegetables and boil again for about 5 to 10 minutes till it mixes well. 

Vegetables should be cooked properly and when finished boiling, the Avial is semi gravy/dry ready.  Use it with Plain Boiled Rice or as a side dish along with Sambar or Any other dishes.

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STEAM CAKE - KERALEEYAN PUTTU

 STEAM CAKE 

Steam Cake is a well-known breakfast in Kerala.  This breakfast is not spread in India and is not too much publicity received for this item.

Even though people are preparing their food throughout their living moments and life goes with food for all.

1. rice powder not smooth powder 2 cups

2. salt - 1/2 tbsp

3. crushed coconut - 1/2 cup

4. Water - 1 cup use wisely to make a sticky powder form batter.

5. Steam Cake Maker - Vessel

Mix the water with rice powder and do not pour too much water and should not be too stickey. 

Add salt as required and taste it for salt. 

Keep aside the Water mixed rice powder.

Take steamer and place its pot on the flame and add one or two class water into it and start with medium flame. Let it boil then use the steamer sphere-shaped to make the steam cake and put its net on the bottom of sphere shaped steamer through its upper portion. Use a stick to align it at the bottom add rice mix two or three tbsp and then add one layer of coconut crushed then again repeat the same process and at last the coconut layer will be on the top of the steamer. Close the steamer and place it on the lower pot of steamer properly, if there is any alignment error, the steam cake will not bake properly, so as to avoid losing steam from the middle portion use some cotton cloth to tie around at the joining place of the pot and steaming vessel after placing the steamer on the face of the lower pot.

Thereafter bake for 3-4 minutes in medium flame when you see the steam coming from the top and a soothing smell out of the steamer, remove it and take a stick to push the bottom net of steamer, if it is properly boiled the steam cake will be properly bonded together and nice steam cake without spreading the rice powder will be seen, otherwise you will have to bake it again to get proper bonding.

Try it if possible else the choice is yours it is another stunning breakfast and it can be used with chana curry. 

  

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