BhimBhurtel teaches Development Economics and Global Political Economy in the Master's program at Nepal Open University. He was the executive director of the Nepal South Asia Center (2009-14), a Kathmandu-based South Asian development think-tank. Bhurtel can be reached at
bhim.b...@gmail.com.
A simple, comforting vegetarian dish, in fact, a dish that contains all the easily available vegetables (well, in India), Avial or Aviyal is what intrigued me for the last few days. Not that, I was not aware of what Avial is or how it tastes. I have been to Kerala more than 4 times and till last year was quite regular in the southern part of the country for official assignments. Naturally tasted Aviyal several times. In fact, I make it quite regularly at home. We love the comforting taste of Aviyal. Prepared with several veggies, flavored lightly with minimum spices, and cooked with Coconut. It goes perfectly with our portion of rice. I actually cook it at times instead of Shukto at times given I found the dish strikingly similar to the Bengali delicacy, especially the way the ingredients are used.
When I planned to pen down the recipe of Aviyal, I started gathering interesting facts naturally. The first thing that came to my mind was the similarities between the dishes I mentioned above. Both the dishes, Aviyal and Shukto are the amalgamation of several vegetables, both are comforting and curry-like, both are served with rice and both surprisingly are from the coastal area. Avial is a famous Keralian or Udupi side dish while Shukto is a famous side from Bengal. For that matter, it is worth sharing that Avial itself has several variations; there is Keralean Avial, then there is Udupi Aviyal, and also another version called Tamilian Brahmin style Avial. Though there is very little difference between the versions mentioned. All are having several vegetables and is a no onion no garlic preparation.
I found one more dimension while searching the history of the vegetarian delicacy, that Bhim, the 2nd Pandabh from "Mahabharat" had invented Avial. As the story goes, The Pandabhas and Draupadi were in exile for 13 years and they were in Virat dynasty in the last year of their Exile. They were there with a false identity to adhere to the terms of exile. Bhim took the pseudo-name Ballabh during the Pandabh's as well as Draupadi's stay at King Virat's residence during the "Virat Parbha". Bhim worked as the royal cook for one year and invented a dish which was having several vegetables and coconut in it which he named Avial.
There is one more story about the evaluation of Avial which says it was invented by the cooks from Thiruvithankor in Kerala who were responsible for making bulk food for an event at King's residence. To cover up the shortage of curry they ended up making a mix-veg which they named Aviyal! Whoever invented it, indeed came up with an amazing dish.
Coming to the present day, Avial is an integral part of Kerala cuisine and one of the main items served as part of traditional Sadya. Apart from Aviyal traditional Sadya is having Kerala Matta (rice), Parippu, Sambar, Kaalan, Olan, Koottukar, Erissery, Kichadi, Pachadi, Pulisseri, Injipuli, Thoran, Pappadam, Sharkara Upperi, Kaaya Varuthathu, Banana, Payasam, etc. You may check my post of mine on the Onam Sadya I have tasted at ITC Sonar.
As I already mentioned Avial is prepared using several vegetables and coconut is an integral part of this vegetable curry. I have used Potato, Carrot, Snake gourd, Drumstick, Beans, Raw plantain, Raw Mango Elephant foot yam, and a few chunks of Cucumber while making the Aviyal. You may add pumpkin or any other vegetable you prefer. Some people skip Curd too however, I like my Aviyal with Curd. Raw Mango again is optional. It gives a natural sourness to the dish.
I would love to see a picture if you are making the prawns following my recipe. You can share here at
dolon...@gmail.com. You can use my hashtag #debjanirrannaghar and share it through Instagram as well. and in addition, you can tag me at @foodofdebjani.
I am Debjani Chatterjee Alam. A CSR specialist by profession and a food writer, food blogger, and food photographer as well. I live in Kolkata along with my Husband Mehebub who is an architect by profession, my daughter Pasta, and also my dog daughters Coffee and Luchi.
For generations, the kingdom flourished, with the Tibetan Buddhist culture ruling from the north and the Nepali Hindu culture feeding everyone from the south. As time passed, people from India came into the kingdom to work and raise families, too. Though the rulers offered money to those who married into the ruling culture, the Nepali and Indians held fast to their traditional languages and way of life.
But we made enough to survive, and after I came back from working in India I met my wife, Yoga. We married and lived in the camp with my parents and grandmother. For 19 years, my family lived in the camps until we were able to move. Of the seven wealthy countries that agreed to take refugees, my father chose the U.S.
In April of 2010, I stepped off the plane in Lansing with my parents, grandmother and my wife. It was so cold, but St. Vincent Catholic Charities gave us warm clothes. They also provided food, housing and transportation to jobs and appointments. They helped us learn English through the Refugee Development Center, and got us enrolled through DHS [Department of Human Services] for medical care and services to get us started. After eight months, we were able to get along on our own. My father and I were working in local factories and we all worked at raising our own food in community gardens.
Reflecting on his fairy tale journey from the kingdom in the clouds to his Lansing-area farm, Bhim smiles: Here I have everything. Our house is big enough for my whole family, and I can build it any way I want. We all have health coverage. I can get a loan without having to give lenders gold to keep as collateral. I get paid for my work at Williamston Products, Inc. and on the farm.
St. Vincent Catholic Charities (STVCC) is the only Catholic Charities agency in the Diocese of Lansing that resettles refugees. In the fall of 2015, STVCC was preparing for the resettlement of Syrians in Lansing and was resettling an unusually large number of refugees from all parts of the globe.
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Tej Obano is a young actor from south-east London. Following his graduation from the University of Nottingham in 2015, where he studied Sociology and Social Policy, he decided to pursue acting. Earlier this year he filmed EASTENDERS and MIMESIS: AFRICAN SOLDIER which can be seen at the Imperial War Musuem. He is also performing in THE JUMPER FACTORY at the Young Vic in February 2019.
Nancy Medina is originally from Brooklyn NY, and currently based in Bristol. She is the 2018 RTST Sir Peter Hall Director Award winner and will be collaborating with Royal & Derngate and English Touring Theatre on a production in 2019. In 2017 she was the Genesis Future Director at the Young Vic. She is an acting tutor at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School and Course Leader for a post 16 Professional Acting Diploma at Boomsatsuma. Directing credits include: Collective Rage: A Play in 5 Betties (Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama); When They Go Low (NT Connections/Sherman Theatre); Yellowman (Young Vic); Romeo and Juliet, As You Like it (GB Theatre); Curried Goat and Fish Fingers (Bristol Old Vic); Dogtag (Theatre West); Strawberry & Chocolate (Tobacco Factory Theatres); Dutchman (Tobacco Factory Theatres); Persistence of Memory (Rondo Theatre).
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