AI-generated image
Cabbage thoran
Cabbage and coconut stir-fry
കാബേജ് തോരൻ: Kerala's dry stir-fried cabbage with crushed coconut, cumin and garlic
Thoran is the everyday dry vegetable of Kerala, on the lunch plate in nearly every home and in the steel tiffin boxes carried to offices from Thiruvananthapuram to Kannur. Cabbage is the classic choice: shredded fine, steamed in its own juices with mustard and curry leaves, then tossed with coconut that has been crushed (never ground smooth) with green chilli, garlic and cumin. It comes out sweet, fluffy and lightly crunchy. Serve it with rice, sambar or moru curry, or eat it with chapati. Chef's tip: shred the cabbage as finely as you can; thin shreds cook in their own steam in a few minutes and stay bright.
- Total time
- 22 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the coconut mix
- 2 ⅞ oz grated fresh coconut
- 2 garliccloves
- ½ tsp cumin seeds
- ¼ tsp ground turmeric
For the thoran
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- 2 dried red chilliesbroken
- 12 curry leaves
- 3 shallotsfinely chopped
- 1 ⅛ lb white cabbagevery finely shredded
- ¾ tsp salt
Shop this recipe on Amazon
What you'll need
Spices & pantry
Fresh ingredients (5)
Links open Amazon in a new tab. As an Amazon Associate, WhatToEat.Today earns from qualifying purchases.
Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Pulse 2 ⅞ oz grated fresh coconut, 2 green chillies, 2 garlic, ½ tsp cumin seeds and ¼ tsp ground turmeric in a small grinder 3–4 times, with no water, until coarsely crushed and moist but not a paste. Common mistake: grinding it smooth with water. The thoran turns soggy instead of fluffy.
Step 2: Heat 2 tbsp coconut oil in a wide kadai over a medium heat. Add 1 tsp mustard seeds and wait for it to crackle, then add 1 tsp urad dal (split black gram) and fry for 30 seconds until golden. Add 2 dried red chillies and 12 curry leaves; they will splutter.
Step 3: Add 3 shallots and fry for 2 minutes until soft and pink.
2 minStep 4: Add 1 ⅛ lb white cabbage and ¾ tsp salt, toss well, then cover and cook on a low-medium heat for 5–6 minutes, stirring once, until the cabbage has wilted but still has a slight bite. Add no water; the cabbage steams in its own juice.
6 minStep 5: Make a well in the middle, drop in the crushed coconut, and cover it with the cabbage. Cover the pan for 1 minute to steam the coconut, then uncover and toss over a medium heat for 2–3 minutes until any liquid has dried and the cabbage is fluffy. Serve warm.
3 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 150 kcal
- Protein
- 3 g
- Carbs
- 11 g
- Fat
- 11 g
- Fibre
- 5 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does cabbage thoran take?
- About 22 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 12 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of grated fresh coconut?
- Desiccated coconut soaked in hot water for 15 minutes, about three quarters of the weight.
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to cook it.
Rate this recipe
Sign in to rate and review this recipe.
You might also like
Paneer biryaniRice and moong dal in coconut milk
A mild, creamy biryani: rice and husked green gram roasted in ghee, then cooked in coconut milk with peas, carrots, potatoes, peanuts and cashews, and finished with soft fried paneer and a fresh coriander yogurt. Serve hot, garnished with more fried cashews and paneer.
Sabudana khichdiSago with peanuts and potato
Sabudana khichdi is the dish that sees Maharashtra through every vrat (fast), from Navratri to Ekadashi, but it's so good that people eat it any day of the week. Soaked sago pearls are tossed in a pan with crushed roasted peanuts, cubes of potato, cumin and green chilli until each pearl turns glassy and separate, then finished with lemon and coriander. It's soft, chewy, nutty and gently hot. Fasting rules vary from family to family, so check yours; this version uses rock salt and no asafoetida, onion or garlic. Traditionally it's cooked in ghee; use ghee instead of oil if you aren't keeping it vegan. Chef's tip: soak the sago in just enough water to cover by the height of the pearls themselves, no more; too much water is the reason khichdi turns into one sticky lump.
Bagara bainganBaby aubergines in peanut sesame sauce
Bagara baingan is a Hyderabadi wedding dish of small aubergines cooked whole in a dark, tangy gravy of roasted peanuts, sesame, dried coconut and tamarind. Unlike a Gujarati stuffed brinjal, the aubergines here are only quartered at the base and fried until silky, then left to soak up a thin-but-rich sauce that is finished with a tempering, the 'baghar' that gives the dish its name. It's sour, nutty and gently spiced, and is served with biryani, bagara rice or plain rice. Chef's tip: choose small, glossy purple aubergines that feel heavy for their size; soft, light ones are full of seeds and turn mushy before the gravy has a chance to cling.