Avial (vegetables in yogurt-coconut sauce)

1 green banana cut into 2 inch long pieces with skin. Wash and keep the pieces in water until ready for use.
1-cup lima beans or edamames (optional)
½ opo squash (doodhi) peeled and cut into one inch cubes
3 carrots peeled and cut into 2 inch pieces
30 snap or pole beans cut into 2 inch pieces
1 red bell pepper cut into 1 inch squares (red bell pepper is for color otherwise you can use any color bell pepper)
1 pound winter melon piece (peel the skin and cut into 1 inch cubes) 
2 drumsticks cut into 2 inch sticks (optional)
Wash all these cut vegetables in a colander

2 cups water
1 ½ teaspoons salt
1/4 tsp turmeric
2 green chilies cut into 2 inch long pieces
2 stems curry leaves

Sauce

1 cup fresh or frozen unsweetened grated coconut or pieces
1 tablespoon coriander seeds
2 red dried chilies
1teaspoon cumin seeds
1/8- teaspoon asafetida
Large marble size seedless tamarind
½ cup yogurt
1 teaspoon graham flour (chana flour) 
1 cup water

1/2 cup chopped fresh coriander leaves

In a large saucepan place all the eight vegetables and pour two cups of water or until vegetables are just covered with water. Add salt, turmeric, green chilies, and curry leaves. Cook for six minutes mixing with a wooden spoon in between in medium high heat without cover. Turn the heat off. 

Mean while make the sauce for avial. In a large blender jar place next eight sauce ingredients with one cup of water and blend until it becomes smooth. Little more water can be added if the sauce is too thick.

Add this sauce to the vegetables along with half of chopped coriander leaves and mix well with wooden spoon making sure not to smash the vegetables.
Turn the heat on and cook for five minutes in slow heat and spice it with popu. 

Popu (tadka or vagar)

1 1/2 tsp black mustard seed
1 tbs shredded coconut (optional)
1 1/2 tbs oil

In a small pan heat oil and add mustard seed until they start to splutter. Add coconut and asafoetida and fry until coconut becomes light brown and add to the vegetables. Mix with wooden spoon. Transfer avial in to large serving dish and garnish with remaining coriander leaves. 

Avial tastes good with rice and papads, or chapatties. It is a very healthy dish, since there are lots of good vegetables go into it.


Note: Do not use any vegetable with strong flavor like radish, broccoli, or cauliflower. Graham flour keeps avial creamy and thick. This recipe serves six to eight servings. 

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