Satvic South Indian Meals: Avial, Lemon Rice, Coconut Stew & Spinach Appam

Step 1: Prepare Avial Vegetables

Heat a kadhai on low flame. Add 10-12 fresh curry leaves and roast for 2-3 minutes until fragrant. Then add ½ cup chopped sweet potato, ½ cup chopped raw banana, ½ cup chopped pumpkin, ½ cup chopped carrot, ½ cup chopped beans, ½ cup chopped drumsticks, and ½ tsp turmeric powder. Sauté all vegetables for 3 minutes. Add 1 cup water, mix, cover, and cook on low flame for 7-8 minutes until vegetables are soft.

Step 2: Prepare Thick Coconut Milk

To make thick coconut milk, blend ⅔ cup chopped coconut with ⅔ cup water in a mixer until smooth. Strain the mixture through a muslin cloth, squeezing out all the liquid. This yields ⅔ cup thick coconut milk.

Step 3: Prepare Avial Gravy

In a mixer, add 1 cup grated coconut (or leftover roughage from coconut milk), 1 tsp roasted cumin seeds, 12-14 curry leaves, 1 medium green chili, and 1 tsp rock salt. Blend briefly until coarse, not a smooth paste.

Step 4: Combine Avial

Turn off the gas for the cooked vegetables. Add the ⅔ cup thick coconut milk and the prepared gravy to the kadhai. Mix everything well, cover the kadhai, and let it sit for 5-7 minutes for the flavors to meld. Serve hot.

Step 5: Prepare Lemon Rice

Heat a pot. Add ½ tsp mustard seeds and 6-8 curry leaves. Sauté for 2 minutes on medium flame. Add ½ cup raw brown rice (soaked in water before adding), 3 cups water, and ¼ tsp turmeric powder. Cover the pot and cook the rice for 25 minutes.

Step 6: Finish Lemon Rice

Once the rice is cooked, turn off the gas. Add 1 tbsp lemon juice, ½ tsp jaggery powder, and 1 tsp rock salt. Mix everything well. Serve hot, preferably on a banana leaf and eat with hands for double flavor.

Step 7: Prepare Coconut Stew Spices

Prepare 1½ cups thick coconut milk in advance. Heat a kadhai on low flame. Add 8 fenugreek seeds, ½ tsp mustard seeds, 1 bay leaf, 2 star anise, 1 (2-inch) cinnamon stick, and 2 cloves. Roast these spices for 3 minutes until fragrant. Then add 1 tsp finely chopped ginger, 1 finely chopped green chili, and 25 fresh curry leaves. Roast for another 1 minute.

Step 8: Cook Coconut Stew Vegetables

Add ¼ cup chopped drumsticks, 1 cup chopped potato, ½ cup fresh green peas, and ¾ cup water to the kadhai. Mix all vegetables, cover, and cook on medium flame for 3 minutes. Then add 1 cup chopped cauliflower, ½ cup chopped pumpkin, ½ cup chopped carrot, and ¼ cup chopped green beans. Cover the lid and let all vegetables cook for 15 minutes on medium flame.

Step 9: Combine Coconut Stew

After 15 minutes, turn off the gas. Add 1½ cup thick coconut milk, 1 tsp jaggery powder, and 1 tsp rock salt to the kadhai. Mix well, cover again for 5 minutes to allow flavors to meld. Serve your creamy coconut stew hot.

Step 10: Prepare Appam Batter

Soak ¾ cup brown rice in water for 6 hours. After 6 hours, drain the water from the brown rice and transfer it to a mixer. Add ¼ cup chopped spinach and 1 cup water. Blend to make a smooth paste. Pour the batter into a large steel or glass bowl. For natural fermentation, add 8 green chili tops to the batter. Cover the bowl with a plate and place it in a warm spot (like a kitchen cabinet or counter) for 15 hours to ferment. Do not place in direct sunlight.

Step 11: Adjust Appam Batter Consistency

After 15 hours, the batter should be slightly puffed up, indicating successful fermentation. If the batter is too thick, add ¼ cup water and mix well until it has a consistency that is neither too thick nor too thin, allowing it to spread slightly on its own.

Step 12: Cook Spinach Appam

Heat a heavy cast iron tawa on high flame. If the tawa is not pre-seasoned, add just two drops of oil. Once hot, sprinkle some water on the tawa and wipe it with a clean cotton cloth. Pour one ladle of batter onto the tawa. Do not spread it; let the batter naturally form a 6-inch circular shape. When small bubbles start appearing in the center of the appam, cover it with a lid or plate and cook on medium flame for 2-3 minutes. Once cooked from the center, remove the appam from the tawa. After each appam, sprinkle water on the tawa and wipe it with a clean cloth for easier cooking. Serve hot with Coconut Stew.

• Use measuring cups and spoons for accurate results.

• For Appam, ensure the batter is fermented in a warm place, but not direct sunlight.

• Wipe the cast iron tawa with a damp cloth after each Appam to prevent sticking and maintain even heat.

• Serve Avial and Coconut Stew with simple brown rice if you prefer less cooking time.

• Experiment with other vegetables in Avial and Coconut Stew based on seasonal availability.