Kerala mixed vegetables in coconut yoghurt sauce (Avial)

1. Cut the vegetables (carrots, green beans, peeled potato, courgette, peeled plantain) into even sticks about 5 cm long and finger-thick: the hallmark of avial is that every piece has the same shape.

2. Put the carrots, potato and plantain in a pan with the water, turmeric and salt and cook covered for 8 minutes. Add the green beans and courgette and cook for another 6-7 minutes until everything is just tender.

3. Meanwhile, blitz the desiccated coconut with the cumin seeds, green chillies and 2-3 tablespoons of water into a coarse paste in a food processor.

4. Stir the coconut paste into the vegetables and cook over low heat for 3 minutes, turning gently so the vegetables don't break.

5. Take off the heat and stir in the smoothly whisked yoghurt (in a boiling pan it would curdle, so the pan must no longer be bubbling).

6. Drizzle with the coconut oil, scatter over the curry leaves, cover and leave to stand for 5 minutes to absorb their aroma. Serve with rice.

Tip: An essential dish of the sadya, Kerala's Onam feast. Legend says Bhima, the hero of the Mahabharata, invented it when he had to cook a feast from leftover vegetables. Any seasonal vegetable can go in; drumstick (moringa) pods are especially authentic.