Avial

Avial is I believe a Tamil/ Kerala version of the Kannada majjige huli. Majjige huli is made only from white pumpkin, but Avial has loads of vegetables. An awesome combination with dosa or adai (dal dosa). Don't fret if you don't have all the vegetables mentioned in the list, just add what you have at home and make your own version of avail like I did.

Avial

South Indian stew made with vegetables, coconut and yoghurt

Recipe Type:  Main Course
Cuisine:          South Indian
Prep Time:     20 minutes
Cook time:     30 minutes
Yield:              2-3 Servings

Ingredients:

1/3 cup Coconut
3 tsp Jeera / Cumin Seeds
2-3 Green Chillies
1 cup Curd / Yoghurt
2.5-3 cups of mixed Vegetables
4-5 Curry Leaves
2 tsp Oil
Water
Salt

Method:

• Cut all the vegetables roughly, appx 1” pieces.  Generally used vegetables for avail are Drumstick, Carrot, French beans, Yam, Pumpkin, Raw banana and brinjal. I did not have all these, so I used Carrot, French beans, brinjal, potato and capsicum.
• Boil water in a pan and add the vegetables to it and cook until they are done but still firm. Add the vegetables that take longer to cook first. Veggies like brinjal, capsicum, raw banana can be added after 3-4 mins.
• Grind together coconut, 2 tsp jeera and green chillies into a fine paste.
• Add the paste to the vegetables once the vegetables are done
• Add salt and 1 cup water and boil for 3-4 mins. Adjust the water according to the desired consistency.
• Beat the curd until smooth and add to the avial. Cook for 2 mins on low flame.
• Heat oil in a small pan and add the cumin seeds. Once they slightly brown, add the curry leaves and pour this tempering to the avial.
• Enjoy hot with rice or dosa.

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Carrot Fries

Again, the GoodFood magazine carried this recipe and tempted me into making them. I generally make sweet potato fries. So I decided lets give this different fries a try.

Cut the carrot into finger sized pieces

Coat with cornflour, oil and all spices

Baked carrot fries

Carrot Fries

Baked carrot fries

Recipe Type:  Snacks
Cuisine:          International
Prep Time:     10 minutes
Cook time:     25 minutes
Yield:              Serves 2-3

Ingredients:

2 large Carrots
1/2 Tbsp Cornflour
1 Tbsp Olive oil
1/2 tsp Pepper
Celery Salt or Regular Salt
1/2 tsp Oregano

Method:

Peel and chop the carrot into finger sized pieces
Toss it with the cornflour
Add the olive oil, pepper, oregano and salt
Mix well and spread out on a baking sheet
Preheat the oven to 200 degree Celsius
Bake for 20-25 mins

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Tomato soup

In this cold Bangalore weather, a hot soup is soooo comforting. Everybody's favourite soup at home? Tomato, of course. It doesn't take too much time to make it either. The perfect weekday evening soup. Most store bought soup powders use cornflour or other flours to obtain the thickness, I generally add some other veggies or 2 tbsp of dal to do the same. Makes it healthy as well as thick. Potato is the general thickening agent people use at home, I avoid it and generally use cauliflower or sweet potato.

Ingredients:

Tomato - 3 medium
Carrots - 2
Sweet potato - 1/2 cup (peeled and cubed)
Onion - 1 small
Bay leaf / Tej patta - 1
Cinnamon / Dalchini - 1" piece
Black peppercorns / Kali mirch - 4-5
Clove/ Lawang - 1-2
Olive oil - 1 tbsp
Pepper powder / Red chilli powder - 1-2 tsp
Sugar - 1/2 tsp
Salt
Water

Method:

Heat the olive oil in a cooker pan
Roughly chop the onions and fry for 1-2 mins
Roughly chop the tomato, sweet potato and carrot and add to the cooker
Add all the whole spices
Add water just enough to cover the vegetables
Add salt and pressure cook for appx 2-3 whistles or 5-8 mins
Cool the vegetables a little and puree them in a mixer
Pour the puree back into the pan, add a cup of water, sugar, red chilli powder or pepper and allow it to boil
Add more water if the soup is too thick.
Boil on low flame for another 8-10 mins.
Serve hot. The above recipe makes enough for 3 people.

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