So he just mixed and boiled whatever veggies he had at hand and added curd and coconut to it to complete the dish. That is how he created this Indian curry with coconut! I do not know how true this story is, but it surely makes for an interesting read.
In southern Kerala, turmeric powder is used which gives it a yellow color, and for sourness, mango or tamarind is used. In northern Kerala, turmeric is not added and the sourness comes from yogurt. There is no tempering done in the Kerala version. Also, cumin seeds are not added to the coconut while grinding. In Tamil Nadu, (this is based on how my family makes it), we don’t add turmeric powder which is why our aviyal is white/green in color. In our Tamil avial recipe, we also make it with yogurt, add cumin while grinding the coconut, and drizzle some coconut oil in the end. My aunt also soaks tur dal and adds it to the blender along with ginger when grinding the coconut. The curry can be very thick, made with long-cut vegetables, or a little thin (this is how I make it) to serve with rice.
Chef Tip - Cut the veggies into long finger chips style and the curry should hold the texture of the veggies. Do not mash them while cooking. Thankfully, if you happen to visit an Indian grocery store, then check out their frozen foods section. You will find a readymade aviyal mix that has all the veggies you need. Spices - curry leaves, green chillies, ginger, and cumin seeds are the basic spices that you will need here. Coconut oil and fresh or dry unsweetened coconut flakes give this curry a delicious flavor. Yogurt - Use homemade dahi, plain unsweetened yogurt, or Greek yogurt here.
BTW, if you love mixed veg recipes, then definitely check out Veg Jalfrezi, and Veg Kolhapuri.
