Wheat Free Vegan Coconut Vegetable Curry (Avial)
This vibrant South Indian dish is a celebration of vegetables ā tender chunks of plantain, carrot, potato, green beans, and squash all brought together by a fragrant, coarsely ground coconut paste. The result is creamy, warmly spiced, and deeply satisfying without a drop of dairy or a single grain of wheat anywhere in the pot. Because every component here is naturally free of gluten-containing grains, there's no need to swap anything out or second-guess a label ā it's just good, clean cooking from the ground up. The coconut paste is the soul of the dish: grated coconut blended with cumin, green chiles, and coconut yogurt creates a thick, grainy coating that clings to every piece of vegetable and mellows beautifully as it heats through. Then comes the tempering ā mustard seeds popping in hot coconut oil, dried red chiles, and a shower of fresh curry leaves that crackle and perfume the whole kitchen in seconds. That final pour-over transforms the dish from comforting to genuinely electric. Serve it warm alongside rice or flatbreads made from rice or lentil flour, and it holds its own as a complete, nourishing meal.
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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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