Thoran is a dry, stir-fried curry from Kerala made from whatever fresh vegetables are available. This cabbage thoran, or muttokos thoran is a very traditional dish, often featured at feasts and celebrations. This dish is also referred to as upperi.
Thoran is a similar dish to poriyal and there are recipes for both dishes in this book. Although similar in that they feature just one vegetable and coconut is used, they do have some differences.
Poriyal is made by finishing the dish with freshly grated coconut. Thoran is made by cooking the vegetable with the grated coconut. You get a different texture and a different taste profile from the coconut. A similar recipe to this one, but for a poriyal, is our cabbage poriyal.
Thoran is cooked in coconut oil and almost any seasonal vegetable can be used – from jackfruit and raw papaya to green gram and banana stem. The key ingredients, common to all thorans, are black mustard seeds, green chilies, turmeric powder, curry leaves and coconut.
Your vegetarian friends will love this dish.
This version includes carrots, which is the Keralan tradition. They add a little sweetness and visual appeal.
An ideal thoran will have vegetables with crunch, some bite from the chilli, and subtle background from the curry leaves, the mustard seeds and the coconut oil.
Mildly spiced and brightly coloured, this cabbage thoran is one of those dishes that retain the delicate taste of the vegetable without drowning it in spices and strong flavours.
We serve thoran with pea pulao.
the recipe
about
equipment
equipment
- kadai
ingredients
ingredients
- ½ cabbage - finely sliced
for cooking
- 3 tbsp coconut oil
- 2 tsp black mustard seeds
- 12 curry leaves
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 2 dried Kashmiri chillies - crumbled
- 30 g ginger - finely shredded
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp salt
- ¼ tsp asafoetida
- 2 carrots - cut into matchsticks
- 100 g coconut - grated
- 2 green chillies - thinly sliced
for serving
- 1 cup coriander leaves - coarsely chopped
instructions
instructions
- Heat the coconut oil in a kadai or wok on medium heat, and, when hot, add the mustard seeds. When they start to pop, after just a few seconds, add the curry leaves, cumin seeds and dried chillies. Stir for 30 seconds, then add the ginger, turmeric, salt and asafoetida and fry for 30 seconds.
- Stir in the cabbage, carrots, and coconut. Mix well and cook, covered, over a medium-low heat for 5-7 minutes, or until the vegetables are just tender, adding a tablespoon of water if the vegetables start to stick to the pan. You want the cabbage just cooked and retaining some crunch.
- Stir in the green chillies and cook for another minute.
to serve
- Turn the thoran into a serving dish, garnish with the coriander and serve.
notes
notes
- A small cabbage weighs approximately 800g.
- The cooking time of 5-7 minutes will cook the cabbage, but still retain texture and crunch.
private notes
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