Cabbage Thoran
A dry Kerala stir-fry of finely shredded cabbage with coconut. Fifteen minutes, and the coconut goes in raw at the end.
- Prep
- 15m
- Cook
- 12m
- Total
- 27m
- Serves
- 4 as a side
- Effort
- Easy
Scale
Units
Method
Tap a step number to mark it done. Tap an ingredient once for got it, twice for need it.
| 2 tbsp | Temper until the mustard seeds pop 3m | Add the cabbage, cover and cook 8 minutes 9m The cabbage steams in its own water. No extra liquid. | Stir the coconut mixture through and cook uncovered 2 minutes 3m Coconut at the end, barely cooked. Fried, it loses its sweetness. | |
| 1 tsp | ||||
| 1 tsp | ||||
| 2 | ||||
| a sprig | ||||
| 4 | ||||
| 1/2 head | ||||
| 1/2 tsp | ||||
| 1 tsp | ||||
| 1 cup | Crush together coarsely 4m A rough crush, not a paste — you want the coconut in recognisable pieces. | |||
| 2 cloves | ||||
| 1/2 tsp | ||||
| 1 | ||||
-
Temper until the mustard seeds pop
3m- coconut oil 2 tbsp
- mustard seeds 1 tsp
- urad dal (optional) 1 tsp
- dried red chillies 2
- curry leaves a sprig
- shallots 4
-
Add the cabbage, cover and cook 8 minutes
9m- from 1 Temper until the mustard seeds pop
- cabbage 1/2 head
- ground turmeric 1/2 tsp
- salt 1 tsp
The cabbage steams in its own water. No extra liquid.
-
Crush together coarsely
4m- fresh grated coconut 1 cup
- garlic 2 cloves
- cumin seeds 1/2 tsp
- green chilli 1
A rough crush, not a paste — you want the coconut in recognisable pieces.
-
Stir the coconut mixture through and cook uncovered 2 minutes
3m- from 2 Add the cabbage, cover and cook 8 minutes
- from 3 Crush together coarsely
Coconut at the end, barely cooked. Fried, it loses its sweetness.
Thoran is dry by definition
The whole category is defined by the absence of gravy: vegetables cooked in their own moisture with coconut and a tempering. That means no added water, a lid for the first stage only, and finishing uncovered so any remaining liquid goes. If yours is wet, it needs another two minutes with the lid off.
Notes
- Shred the cabbage as finely as you can. Thick shreds stay crunchy and never pick up the tempering.
- Coconut oil, if you have it. In Kerala cooking it is a flavour, not just a medium.
- The same method works for green beans, carrots or beetroot with almost no changes.