Soy Free Vegan Coconut Vegetable Curry (Avial)
This South Indian classic is a celebration of humble vegetables transformed by a rich, fragrant coconut paste ā warming, deeply aromatic, and completely plant-based without a drop of soy anywhere in sight. Drumstick pods, raw banana, carrot, potato, green beans, and winter squash are simmered together with turmeric until just tender, giving you a medley that holds its shape beautifully rather than turning to mush. The real magic is the coarse coconut paste blended with cumin seeds, green chiles, and coconut yogurt ā it clings to every piece of vegetable and mellows into something almost creamy as it heats through. A final tempering of mustard seeds, dried red chiles, and curry leaves sizzled in coconut oil gets poured over the top, and that sputtering, crackling finish is what takes the whole dish from good to extraordinary. For anyone navigating soy sensitivities, this recipe is naturally in the clear ā every ingredient, from the coconut oil to the coconut yogurt, is straightforwardly soy-free with no substitutions required. It's the kind of dish that feels like it took serious skill but actually comes together with a blender, one wide pan, and a little patience. 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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