Black Pepper Free Vegan Coconut Vegetable Curry (Avial)
Avial is one of those dishes that proves simple, whole ingredients can create something genuinely extraordinary. A medley of root vegetables, green beans, and winter squash gets simmered until just tender, then folded into a coarse, fragrant paste of fresh coconut, cumin, green chiles, and coconut yogurt ā the result is creamy, earthy, and deeply satisfying without a drop of dairy or any black pepper in sight. For anyone navigating a pepper sensitivity, this is the kind of recipe that feels like a gift, because the heat and complexity come entirely from green chiles and dried red chiles in the tempering, so there's no need to swap or skip anything. That final step ā mustard seeds popping in hot coconut oil, dried chiles and curry leaves crisping in seconds ā transforms the dish from good to absolutely electric. The tempering gets poured straight over the coconut-coated vegetables, perfuming every bite with that unmistakable South Indian warmth. It's naturally vegan, built on pantry-friendly produce, and comes together in a single wide pan. Serve it warm with rice or flatbread and watch it disappear.
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Learn more āIngredients
4 servings
For the vegetables
- 1 medium drumstick (moringa pods), cut into 2-inch pieces (optional)
- 1 medium raw banana (plantain), peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
- 1 medium carrot, peeled and cut into 2-inch batons
- 1 medium potato, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 cup green beans, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
- 1 cup winter squash or yam, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
- Ā½ tsp ground turmeric
- Ā¾ tsp salt, plus more to taste
- Ā½ cup water
For the coconut paste
- 1 cup freshly grated coconut or thawed frozen grated coconut
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 2 green chiles, roughly chopped
- 3 tbsp coconut yogurt
For the tempering
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
- Ā½ tsp mustard seeds
- 2 dried red chiles
- 10ā12 fresh curry leaves
Instructions
- 1
Combine the raw banana, carrot, potato, green beans, and winter squash in a large wide saucepan or kadai. Add the drumstick pieces if using. Sprinkle in the turmeric and salt, then pour in the water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to medium, cover, and cook for 12ā15 minutes, until the vegetables are just tender when pierced with a knife but still hold their shape.
- 2
While the vegetables cook, combine the grated coconut, cumin seeds, green chiles, and coconut yogurt in a blender or food processor. Blend to a coarse, thick paste ā it should be grainy and cohesive, not completely smooth. Add 1ā2 tbsp of water only if needed to get the blades moving.
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