This spicy oatmeal recipe is inspired by Avial, a traditional South Indian dish. It contains fresh coconut and vegetables, creamy yogurt and turmeric, a spice that will delight your taste buds and add some color to the dish.
Active time: 15 minutes | Total time: 30 minutes
Havre Avial
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons quick-cook or instant oats
- 1 plantain, cut into 1-inch strips
- 1 small potato or sweet potato, cut into 1-inch strips
- 1 small carrot, cut into 1-inch strips
- 4 green beans, cut into 1-inch strips
- 2 celery sticks, cut into 1-inch strips
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric
- ¼ cup freshly grated coconut
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2-4 green chilies
- ¾ cup plain, nonfat Greek yogurt, at room temperature
- ½ cup of water
- 1 tsp coconut oil
- ½ tsp mustard seeds
- 8-10 fresh or frozen curry leaves
- 2 dry red chilies
Directions
Toast the oatmeal in a small dry pan over medium heat, stirring constantly, for 2-3 minutes, until the aroma is slightly golden. Remove from heat, let cool completely, then transfer to a blender or spice grinder and grind to a fine powder. Set aside.
Bring 4 cups of water to a boil in a medium saucepan. First add the plantain and potatoes and cook for 2-3 minutes, then add the carrot, green beans and celery. Add turmeric. Continue to cook for 2 more minutes, or until all the vegetables are just tender but still holding their shape. Drain and set aside.
Add ground oats, coconut, cumin, salt and green chilies to a blender. Add the yogurt – make sure it’s at room temperature to prevent curdling – and blend until completely smooth. Transfer the mixture to a medium saucepan and stir in ½ cup water. Gently bring to a boil and simmer over low heat, stirring constantly to prevent the yogurt from separating. Add the cooked vegetables and simmer for 1 more minute. Remove from heat and set aside.
In a small saucepan, heat 1 teaspoon of coconut oil over medium heat. Add the mustard seeds, cover the pan, and cook until they begin to pop, about 30-60 seconds. Remove the lid, add the curry leaves and dry red chillies and cook for about 30 seconds until the chillies darken slightly – leave aside as the curry leaves may splatter. Immediately pour the tempering over the avial and stir gently to combine.
Serve hot.
Serves: 4 | Serving Size: About 1 cup
Nutrition (per serving): Calories: 185; Total fat: 4g; Saturated fat: 3g; Monounsaturated fat: 0g; Polyunsaturated fat: 0g; Cholesterol: 2mg; Sodium: 329 mg; Carbohydrate: 33g; Dietary fiber: 4g; Sugar: 12g; Protein: 8g
Nutritional bonus: Calcium: 8%; Iron: 11%; Potassium: 681mg; Vitamin A: 160%; Vitamin C: 173%
Originally published: October 19, 2018; Updated June 2026