Cheera Aviyal

Aviyal is a tasty Tamilnadu preparation. Cheera Aviyal is a healthy aviyal preparation.

Avial is a dish that has a unique place in typical Kerala as well as Tamil cuisine and Udupi cuisine. It is a thick mixture of vegetables, curd and coconut, seasoned with coconut oil and curry leaves. Avial is considered an essential part of the Sadhya.

Vegetables commonly used in avial are yam, plantain, pumpkin, carrots, beans, brinjal and avarai. Some people prefer to substitute raw mango or tamarind pulp for the curd. This dish can be made into a gravy and eaten with rice or be made into a semi-solid side dish. The word “avial” is also used to denote an assortment or a mixture- this sense being derived from the way the dish is made.

Ingredients:

• Red Spinach(Cheera) – A bunch
• Chilly powder – 2 tsp
• Small onions(Kunjulli) – 2 nos
• Green mango – 5 pieces
• Coconut(grated) – 1/4 of one
• Curry leaves – 1 stem
• Coconut oil – 2 tsp
• Salt – As reqd

Method:

• Wash cheera and cut it into small pieces.
• Grind together coconut, chilly powder and small onions into a thick paste.
• Add this with a little water to the chopped cheera.
• Cook on a low flame.
• When it is half cooked, add mango pieces.
• When it is done, add salt and oil.
• Add a few curry leaves into it.
• Serve with rice.