Submitted by: Ankita

This story took place a long time ago when the Pandavas were in exile in the kingdom of Virata. Bhima had disguised himself as the royal cook Vallabha. Vallabha was asked to make something special for the king. He confidently responded that he would make his signature dish.

However, Bhima knew next to nothing about cooking. Neither could he risk blowing his cover. So he decided to simply use up whatever he could find in the kitchen and throw it together to make a stew (something our mothers do). He added some grated coconut and named the dish Aviyal. To his luck, the king loved the dish and offered him gold. In Kerala, aviyal is consumed as a side dish with rice every Sadhya during Onam.

About Ankita:

Ankita is enthusiastic about art and literature. She enjoys research, delving into academic and cultural discourses, and daydreaming. She prefers non-humans over human animals and would rather live in one of her fictional worlds.