Aviyal

The vegetables should be cut to roughly the same size, ~2 inches long and .5 inch wide. Of course, most any vegetables will work: these are just suggestions, so feel free to experiment with type and quantities. Winter melon is a common addition, as are various more common squashes (zucchini or butternut). The aviyal should be pleasing to the eye as well as the palate, so a colorful mixture of vegetables is good. :) Steam the plantain, beans, carrots with a small amount of water; after a few minutes, add the cucumber, potato and taro root. (These all have varying cooking times, hence the order. A pressure cooker is a marvelous timesaver for cooking these.) Grind some coconut (~.5 cup) and green chilies (to taste really, maybe 1.5 jalapenos?) to a coarse paste and add it to the cooked veggies. Stir carefully to avoid damaging the vegetables. Turn the stove off and add 4-6 ounces of yogurt (maybe store-bought yogurt would work, though it tends to be a bit sour, or perhaps sour cream), and stir again. (It is usually undesirable for yogurt to be boiled.) Aviyal is traditionally served with rice dishes, though it is good with most anything.