How to Make Avial

Avial is a Kerala delicacy and is normally a regular on a Sunday lunch in a Kerala household. It has caught on to the imagination of many and is a regular feature in some restaurants too. It is a culinary pleasure not only to make but also to share the recipe  

Preparation time 40 minutes 

cooking time      30 minutes

Serves 4 

Ingredients

Vegetables 

2 drumsticks

1/2 kilo white pumpkin

1/4 kilo yellow pumpkin

1/4 kilo yam ( suran)

1/4 kilo snake gourd

2 raw bananas

curry leaves

2 tbsp coconut oil 

salt

turmeric powder ( optional)

The Masala

3/4 coconut grated 

2 green chillies

1/2 cup curd / one lemon size tamarind ball

Cut all the vegetables into long strips . Keep the yam and the banana separately cut and soak in water. Take a wide bottomed vessel and boil 3 cups of water and add salt and turmeric. Add the cut yam and let it cook for 4 minutes. Then add the bananas. Let it cook for two minutes. Now add the remaining vegetables and boil till the vegetables are well cooked. 

Meantime, grind the coconut and chilli and keep aside. Beat the curd. Now strain the water from the vegetables and let them cool in a colander. After five  minutes add the vegetables, the ground coconut and the curd. Let it simmer for five minutes. If necessary add the strained water . You can use this water for other gravies so don't throw it. 

Add curry leaves and the coconut oil and serve hot with rice and sambar. 

The Nei Appam

There is something very special about Indian delicacies. With the innumerable states in India, each region has its own special delicacy. Today we are going down south to God's own country Kerala and are going to see how the Nei Appam  is made. The Nei Appam is a great feature of a celebration in Kerala. Predominantly made out of rice, the art of making this can be mastered only with practice.

Cooking Time  - 3 Hours ( Inclusive of soaking the rice )

Serves 4

Preparation Time : Half an hour ( Inclusive of grinding)

Ingredients

1 Cup rice

3/4 cup jaggery or gur

1 banana

Some coconut slices

Cardamom or elaichi powder

One and a half cups ghee 

A special compartment pan for making the nei appam

A long needle

Soak the cup of rice for around three hours. Then grind it either in a mixer or a South Indian style grinder. When the rice is completely ground, add the jaggery. Ensure that you crush the jaggery well. Also ensure that the rice is completely ground finely. Now add the banana and grind further till it becomes a smooth paste. Add the coconut slices and the cardamom powder. 

Now take the pan and pour the ghee in it and heat it well. It should be medium heat. Take a big spoon of the batter that you have prepared and pour it slowly into the pan.  Ensure that you adjust the heat and slowly when it becomes brown turn it over with the help of the needle. Let it cook on the other side too.


Drain it on a collander . Serve hot.

Indian delicacies

Indian delicacies are a way of enjoying cusine to the maximum