This Easy Kerala avial recipe is a mixed vegetable curry cooked in a smooth coconut paste, with almost no heavy spices getting in the way of the vegetables themselves.
It is one of the mildest dishes on the Onam Sadya banana leaf, and one of the easiest to make on any regular day at home too.
I learned to make this after I married into a Kerala family. It became one of my favorite ways to use up whatever vegetables were sitting in my fridge.
You Might want to check my 13 Onam Sadya Recipe in this Blog Post.
(step-by-step-recipe-video-below)
What is Avial?
Avial is a Kerala-style mixed vegetable curry made by cooking several vegetables together and finishing them in a coarse coconut paste. It began as a festival dish for Onam Sadya, though today it is cooked in kitchens across South India as an everyday side dish too.
What makes avial different from most Indian vegetable curries is how little it leans on spices. The coconut, along with a couple of green chilies and a pinch of cumin, does almost all the flavoring, and the vegetables are meant to stay firm, not fall apart into a soft curry.
There is an old story about avial’s origin that goes back to the Mahabharata. Bhima, one of the five Pandava brothers, is said to have worked as a cook during their exile. He invented avial out of necessity, throwing together whatever vegetables were left in the kitchen. Whether or not that story is exactly true, it fits the spirit of the dish. Avial has always been about using what you have.
Regional Variations of Avial
Avial changes quite a bit as you move across South India, even though the basic idea, vegetables and coconut, stays the same everywhere.
Kerala Style: This is the version I make, and the one most people picture when they hear “avial.” It is thick and semi-dry, with coconut and a touch of curd, and the vegetables hold their shape.
Tamil Nadu / Iyengar Style: What’s often called a brahmin avial recipe comes from Tamil Nadu, especially Iyengar households, and leans more sour, using extra curd or even a little tamarind. It is common in temple kitchens and household meals alongside rice.
Udupi Style: The Udupi version is a smooth, thick coconut curry that is always finished with a tempering of mustard seeds, urad dal, and red chilies. That tempering gives it a sharper, more fragrant edge than the Kerala style.
This is based on my own research across food blogs, recipe sites, and publicly available sources. If you are from any of these regions and something reads differently from what you know, I would love to hear from you in the comments.
Preparation Tips for Best Results
A few things matter more than people expect before you even start cooking. Here is what I have learned from making this many times over.
Cut your vegetables to a similar size. Avial looks and cooks best when every piece is roughly the same length and thickness, usually cut into short batons rather than cubes.
Soak raw banana in water right after cutting. Raw banana turns dark and unappetizing very quickly once cut. A bowl of water while you finish chopping everything else keeps it pale.
Split the drumstick in half before adding it. I always cut mine down the middle first, since drumsticks sometimes have tiny insects inside, and this way you can see and avoid that.
Add your hardest vegetables first. Yam, carrot, and raw banana take the longest to cook, so they go into the pot before anything softer.
Troubleshooting: if your avial turns mushy. This almost always comes from stirring too much once the coconut paste goes in, or cooking the vegetables too long before adding it. Stir gently, just enough to coat everything, and check your vegetables are still slightly firm before the paste goes in.
Don’t skip the raw coconut oil at the end. It is added off the heat, not cooked in, and it is what gives avial its final layer of flavor.
Why This Kerala Avial Recipe Works
This recipe works because it respects how simple avial is supposed to be. Here is what makes it come together properly every time.
Cooking the vegetables in stages keeps everything balanced. Adding the hard vegetables first and the soft ones later means nothing turns to mush while you wait for the yam to cook through.
The coconut paste is kept coarse, not silky smooth. A little texture in the paste is what gives avial its character, instead of turning it into a plain vegetable curry.
Coconut oil and curry leaves go in raw at the very end. This keeps their flavor sharp and fresh, instead of cooking it away.
It uses whatever vegetables you already have. True to how avial started, this recipe is forgiving about substitutions as long as you keep the mix varied.
The Avial That Taught Me What Onam Really Means
I am from Bihar, and my husband Dilip is from Kerala. North meeting South is its own kind of culture shock, and I mean that in the best way.
On one side of my kitchen life, there was mustard oil. On the other, coconut oil. One side had a mustard seed tempering, the other had panch phoron. In Bihar, coconut mostly showed up in laddoos. In Kerala, it showed up in almost everything.
I still remember my first Onam in Kerala clearly. The day before, Dilip’s whole family came over, his uncles, aunts, and cousins. Everyone sat late into the night, cutting vegetables together for the next day’s Sadya.
Everyone was laughing and teasing each other while they worked. Watching all of it, I suddenly understood what a festival is actually supposed to feel like, whether it is Diwali or Onam. When I finally saw the Sadya laid out the next day, I was stunned. There were thirty, maybe thirty two, separate dishes on that one banana leaf, from freshly made pickles to payasam.
Avial always reminds me of that first Onam, and honestly, it reminds me a little of pastina too, the mixed vegetable dish we make back home in Bihar. Different oil, different spices, but the same idea of vegetables coming together as one dish.
Serving Suggestions for Avial
Avial is traditionally served on a banana leaf as part of an Onam Sadya, alongside rice, sambar, and other Kerala curries. On a regular day, it works just as well as a simple side with hot rice and a drizzle of ghee.
A small spoon of pickle or a papadam on the side rounds out the meal nicely.
How to Store Leftover Avial
Avial keeps well in the fridge for about two days in an airtight container. I would not recommend freezing it, since the vegetables lose their texture once thawed.
When reheating, warm it gently on the stove rather than the microwave, and add a splash of water if it looks dry. The flavor holds up well the next day, sometimes even better once everything has settled together.
Pro Tips for Perfect Avial
Beyond the basic method, a few details make the difference between good avial and great avial.
Grind the coconut paste with as little water as possible. A thick paste coats the vegetables properly, while a thin, watery paste just slides off and pools at the bottom.
Taste your green chilies before deciding the quantity. Chili heat varies a lot batch to batch, so start with less and add more if you want it spicier.
Use fresh coconut if you can get it. Frozen or desiccated coconut works in a pinch, but fresh coconut is what gives avial its real flavor and slight sweetness.
Keep the flame low once the coconut paste is in. High heat at this stage can make the coconut split or turn oily instead of staying creamy.
Don’t overcrowd the pan. If you’re making a large batch, use a wide, shallow pan rather than a deep pot, so the vegetables cook evenly instead of steaming in a crowded pile.
Add curd only if you like a tangier avial. It is optional, and I skip it when I have good raw mango on hand instead, since the mango brings its own natural sourness.
Let it rest for a few minutes before serving. The vegetables finish absorbing the coconut flavor as it sits, so avial often tastes better five minutes after it’s off the heat.
Keep some vegetables non-negotiable. You can swap out a lot in this dish, but yam, drumstick, raw banana, and a gourd of some kind are what really make it taste like avial.
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Basic Avial Recipe Ingredients:
Yam (Suran): This is one of the hard vegetables that goes in first, and it holds its shape well through cooking, giving avial some of its bite.
Raw Banana: Raw banana adds a mild, slightly starchy flavor and needs to be soaked in water right after cutting so it does not darken.
Drumstick: Just one is enough for flavor and aroma, and it is worth splitting it in half first to check for any insects inside.
Beans, Carrot, Ash Gourd, Madras Pumpkin, Snake Gourd: These make up the rest of the vegetable mix, and each brings its own texture, from the crunch of beans to the softness of ash gourd.
Raw Mango: This is optional, but it adds a natural tang to the dish. If your mango is a little underripe, that sourness works even better here.
Coconut: Ground into a coarse paste with cumin and green chilies, coconut is what ties every vegetable together and gives avial its signature flavor.
Coconut Oil: Added raw at the very end, not cooked in, this is what finishes the dish with its final layer of flavor.
Curry Leaves: Also added at the end, curry leaves bring a fresh, slightly sharp aroma that balances the richness of the coconut.
How to Make Avial
Making avial comes down to two parts: cooking the vegetables in the right order, and finishing them with a coarse coconut paste. Here is a quick overview before you scroll down to the full recipe card with exact measurements.
Cooking the Vegetables
Start with the hardest vegetables first, yam, carrot, and raw banana, along with a little water, turmeric, and salt. Cover and cook until they are half done, then add the rest of the vegetables, along with a little more water, and cook covered on low heat until everything is tender but still holding its shape.
Making the Coconut Paste
While the vegetables cook, grind coconut with cumin and green chilies, adding just enough water to make a coarse, thick paste. Keep it rough rather than silky smooth, since a little texture is part of what makes avial what it is.
Bringing It Together
Once the vegetables are cooked through but not mushy, stir in the coconut paste gently, just enough to coat everything evenly. Finish with curry leaves and raw coconut oil off the heat, adjust the salt, and your avial is ready to serve.
The full recipe card with exact quantities, timings, and step-by-step instructions is right below.
Kerala Avial | Mixed Vegetable Coconut Curry
Ingredients
For the coconut masala paste:
- 2 cups coconut grated
- 1 tsp cumin
- 3-4 green chilies
- Water as required, to make a smooth paste
Vegetables:
- 1 cup raw banana cut and soaked in water
- 1 cup yam suran
- 1 drumstick split in half
- 1 cup beans
- 1 cup ash gourd
- 1 cup Madras pumpkin Madras cucumber
- 1 cup snake gourd
- 1 cup carrot
- 1 cup raw mango
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
- Salt to taste
Final garnishing:
- 1 sprig curry leaves
- 1-2 tbsp coconut oil
Instructions
- Cut the raw banana and place it in a bowl of water right away, so it does not darken.
- Split the drumstick in half lengthwise to check for insects before adding it to the pot.
- In a kadai or wide pot, add the yam, carrot, and raw banana along with a little water, the turmeric powder, and salt.
- Cover and cook on medium-low heat until these vegetables are half cooked.
- Add the remaining vegetables (beans, ash gourd, Madras pumpkin, snake gourd, raw mango), along with a little more water if needed.
- Cover and cook on low heat until all the vegetables are tender but still holding their shape, not falling apart.
- While the vegetables cook, grind the coconut with cumin and green chilies, adding just enough water to make a coarse, thick paste. Keep it slightly rough, not silky smooth.
- Once the vegetables are cooked through, gently stir in the coconut paste, mixing just enough to coat everything evenly. Avoid over-stirring, or the vegetables will turn mushy.
- Turn off the heat, then add the curry leaves and coconut oil. Adjust salt if needed and mix gently one final time.
- Cover for 10 minutes.
- Serve warm or at room temperature with rice.
Notes
Nutrition
Frequently Asked Questions about Avial
What is avial made of?
Avial is made from a mix of vegetables like yam, raw banana, drumstick, beans, and gourds, cooked together and finished in a coconut and green chili paste.
Can I make avial without curd?
Yes, curd is optional in this recipe. I often skip it and use raw mango instead for the same kind of tang.
Which vegetables are essential for avial?
Yam, raw banana, drumstick, and at least one gourd are considered the core vegetables. Beyond that, you can add or swap in whatever you have.
Why does my avial turn out mushy?
This usually happens from over-stirring once the coconut paste goes in, or from cooking the vegetables too long before that point. Stir gently and check that the vegetables are still slightly firm first.
Can I use frozen or desiccated coconut instead of fresh?
Yes, though fresh coconut gives the best flavor and a natural sweetness that desiccated coconut cannot fully match.
Is avial served hot or at room temperature?
Both are common. On the Onam Sadya banana leaf, it is usually served closer to room temperature, but it is just as good warm with rice on a regular day.
What is the difference between avial and sambar?
Avial is a thick, semi-dry curry with coconut and very few spices, while sambar is a thinner, tangier lentil-based curry made with tamarind and a distinct spice powder.
Can I make avial vegan?
Yes, simply skip the curd or use a plant-based yogurt substitute, since the rest of the recipe is naturally dairy-free.
How long does avial stay fresh?
It keeps well in the fridge for about two days in an airtight container. I would not recommend freezing it, since the vegetables lose their texture once thawed.
My Recommended Product:
Avial leans hard on fresh coconut, and grating enough of it for a good coconut paste can take a while if you’re doing it by hand. For this recipe, I recommend the Brewine 2-in-1 Coconut Scraper & Citrus Juicer.
It has a stainless steel scraping blade and dual speed settings, so you can grate a full batch of coconut for the paste in a few minutes instead of standing over a hand scraper. The cooling fan and suction feet also mean it stays steady and doesn’t overheat if you’re prepping for a bigger Onam Sadya spread.
I only recommend products I’ve personally used or truly believe in for home cooking.
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