Red Meat Allergy Friendly Vegan Coconut Vegetable Curry (Avial)
This South Indian classic is a celebration of vegetables ā tender chunks of plantain, carrot, potato, green beans, and winter squash all brought together in a fragrant, creamy coconut paste that clings to every piece. The base is entirely plant-forward, built on freshly grated coconut blended with cumin, green chiles, and coconut yogurt, so there's nothing here that could trigger a red meat sensitivity ā not even a trace of it in the pantry lineup. The finishing move is a sizzling tempering of mustard seeds, dried red chiles, and fresh curry leaves bloomed in coconut oil, which gets poured over the whole dish at the last second for an incredible hit of aroma and crunch. That tempering step is what separates a good curry from a truly memorable one, and it takes less than a minute. The coconut paste is intentionally left coarse and grainy rather than blended smooth, which gives the dish a rustic, satisfying texture that feels hearty without being heavy. It's the kind of meal that works equally well as a weeknight dinner or as a showstopper side at a larger spread. 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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