I was at an Indian restaurant whose style was south Indian vegetarian.

There were two dishes, one a spinach masala type dish that contained what looked like shredded cooked spinach mixed with some other vegetables, and another dish consisted of cubed potatoes in what seemed like a light yogurt cream-like sauce. I don't recall if both or one of these dishes had what tasted like a slight coconut type flavor.

I have never been to any Indian restaurant that prepared these dishes the way this place did. They were both very tasty, and yet light in flavor and feel.

Which dish would have had the name "chittanad" and "aviyal" associated with it, and what do those names mean in terms of ingredients. Do they refer to a style of preparation using yogurt and coconut?

Hello Felafel boy

I don't know the answer to these questions, but I have a niece in-law who is from South India and she is a good cook. I have asked her to answer your query. It may take her some time, because she is a a busy Engineer.

Mamta

Madhur Jaffrey has recipes from the Chettiyar community in the Chettinad area in Tamil Nadu. She ascribes the term 'Chettinad' to this community's style of cooking. I don't know if this helps!