Honey Free Vegan Coconut Vegetable Curry (Avial)
This South Indian classic is a celebration of vegetables ā tender chunks of raw banana, carrot, potato, green beans, and winter squash all simmered together until just yielding, then blanketed in a coarse, fragrant coconut paste. The paste itself is the soul of the dish: freshly grated coconut blended with cumin seeds, green chiles, and coconut yogurt creates something thick, grainy, and deeply aromatic that clings to every piece of vegetable in the pan. Because every single ingredient here is entirely plant-based and naturally free of any sweeteners, you never have to second-guess the label or swap anything out ā it just works as written. The finishing move is a sizzling tempering of mustard seeds, dried red chiles, and fresh curry leaves in coconut oil, poured over the top at the very last second for a hit of smoky, crackling flavor that ties everything together. It's the kind of dish that looks and tastes far more involved than it actually is, which makes it perfect for a weeknight dinner that still feels special. Serve it warm with rice or flatbread and watch it disappear fast.
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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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