The term "thoran" is a standard Malayalam name for any dry vegetable dish flavoured and garnished with grated coconut. It is an integral part of Kerala cuisine and no lunch or dinner will be deemed complete without a "thoran". There are as many "thoran"s as there are vegetables that can be finely diced or shredded, and that includes leafy vegetables too.( Besides, vegetable "thoran"s, there is fish thoran also.) Only vegetables that are firm textured may be used in a "thoran". They could be french beans, cabbage, beetroot, long beans, carrots, unripe green bananas and the such. Here, I have described the basic method of making "thoran" and this method can be used with different vegetables.
The vegetables are prepared and washed well before the slicing or chopping is done. Beans (french or long) have to be topped and tailed and if possible the fibrous string on the sides may be pulled away. Cabbage needs all outer and bruised leaves and the thick stalk removed. This can be done by slicing the cabbage through and cutting deep around the stalk on each half. Beetroots or carrots need to peeled. Unripe green cooking bananas need to peeled and immersed in water to stop discolouration or oxidation.
Once the vegetables are prepared, they are chopped very finely. The method used can be any. In the villages, women would spend a good part of their cooking time chopping veggies for "thoran" by hand. However, I like to do this either using a chopping board or a food processor. The resulting shredded or chopped stuff should be very fine.
The method to make a "thoran" is very simple. There is a tempering done and to this is added the shredded or chopped vegetables and the coconut. It is allowed to steam for a few minutes and voila, it is done! Of course, this is too simplistic, so here is how I make this nice refreshing dish. This is how I make beans "thoran".
Serves 4 to 6 persons
Preparation and cooking time 30 to 40 minutes
Ingredients
1. Beans (french or long) - 1/4 kg
2. Onions or shallots finely chopped - 2 tablespoons
3. Green chillies - 3
4. Coconut grated - 1/4 to 1/2 cup
5. Garlic flakes - 3 to 4
6. Curry leaves (washed) from 1 sprig
7. Cumin or jeera - 1/2 teaspoon
8. Oil - 1 tablespoon
9. Mustard seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
10. Black gram dal or urad dal - 1/2 teaspoon
11. Dried red chillies - 2 (torn into 4or 5 smaller bits)
12. Uncooked rice - 1 teaspoon
13. Salt to taste
14. Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Method
1. Top and tail the beans. Wash and drain them. Hold a bunch tightly in your hand and slice through the beans on a chopping board to give very fine almost translucent slices.
2. In a mortar or a coffee grinder, place items 3 to 7 and no water. Pound or grind very well to get a coarse and fragrant masala mix. Gather into a lump.
3. Heat a wok. Add the oil. When the oil is getting hot, add items 9 to 12. The mustard seeds will pop and the rice will swell into little white things. As soon as the black gram dal turns a golden brown, add the chopped onions or shallots. Saute for a minute.
4. Add the beans, turmeric powder, salt and the masala lump. Cover the masala with the beans. Press from all sides to make a nice tight little heap. Cover the wok. Set the flame on low.
5. After about 5 minutes, remove the lid and stir the beans and masala well. Check to see if the beans are cooked. I like to stop the cooking when the beans are just a little wilted but still has a crunch to it. If the beans are not cooked enough, gather in a heap and cover and let cook for a few more minutes. I avoid adding water because the beans have a lot of water in them and this forms adequate steam to cook the "thoran".
6. When the beans are done, serve hot with rice or even with "roti".
Tips
This is the basic method to make this dish and can be used for other firm vegetables also.
I like to shred cabbage, beetroot or carrots in a food processor.
If the vegetables are not cooking satisfactorily, add some drops of water to create more steam.
It is acceptable to have slightly larger pieces after the slicing or chopping, the only requirement being that the pieces should be easily steam cooked. If the pieces are larger then, some water may have to be added to aid cooking.
There are many combinations of veggies to give a different sort of "thoran". Like beans and carrots may be combined, green gram and cooking bananas may be combined, so on and so forth.
If I have really fresh coconut at hand, I like to garnish the "thoran" with some nice creamy white shavings just before serving.
The vegetables are prepared and washed well before the slicing or chopping is done. Beans (french or long) have to be topped and tailed and if possible the fibrous string on the sides may be pulled away. Cabbage needs all outer and bruised leaves and the thick stalk removed. This can be done by slicing the cabbage through and cutting deep around the stalk on each half. Beetroots or carrots need to peeled. Unripe green cooking bananas need to peeled and immersed in water to stop discolouration or oxidation.
Once the vegetables are prepared, they are chopped very finely. The method used can be any. In the villages, women would spend a good part of their cooking time chopping veggies for "thoran" by hand. However, I like to do this either using a chopping board or a food processor. The resulting shredded or chopped stuff should be very fine.
The method to make a "thoran" is very simple. There is a tempering done and to this is added the shredded or chopped vegetables and the coconut. It is allowed to steam for a few minutes and voila, it is done! Of course, this is too simplistic, so here is how I make this nice refreshing dish. This is how I make beans "thoran".
Serves 4 to 6 persons
Preparation and cooking time 30 to 40 minutes
Ingredients
1. Beans (french or long) - 1/4 kg
2. Onions or shallots finely chopped - 2 tablespoons
3. Green chillies - 3
4. Coconut grated - 1/4 to 1/2 cup
5. Garlic flakes - 3 to 4
6. Curry leaves (washed) from 1 sprig
7. Cumin or jeera - 1/2 teaspoon
8. Oil - 1 tablespoon
9. Mustard seeds - 1/2 teaspoon
10. Black gram dal or urad dal - 1/2 teaspoon
11. Dried red chillies - 2 (torn into 4or 5 smaller bits)
12. Uncooked rice - 1 teaspoon
13. Salt to taste
14. Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Method
1. Top and tail the beans. Wash and drain them. Hold a bunch tightly in your hand and slice through the beans on a chopping board to give very fine almost translucent slices.
2. In a mortar or a coffee grinder, place items 3 to 7 and no water. Pound or grind very well to get a coarse and fragrant masala mix. Gather into a lump.
3. Heat a wok. Add the oil. When the oil is getting hot, add items 9 to 12. The mustard seeds will pop and the rice will swell into little white things. As soon as the black gram dal turns a golden brown, add the chopped onions or shallots. Saute for a minute.
4. Add the beans, turmeric powder, salt and the masala lump. Cover the masala with the beans. Press from all sides to make a nice tight little heap. Cover the wok. Set the flame on low.
5. After about 5 minutes, remove the lid and stir the beans and masala well. Check to see if the beans are cooked. I like to stop the cooking when the beans are just a little wilted but still has a crunch to it. If the beans are not cooked enough, gather in a heap and cover and let cook for a few more minutes. I avoid adding water because the beans have a lot of water in them and this forms adequate steam to cook the "thoran".
6. When the beans are done, serve hot with rice or even with "roti".
Tips
This is the basic method to make this dish and can be used for other firm vegetables also.
I like to shred cabbage, beetroot or carrots in a food processor.
If the vegetables are not cooking satisfactorily, add some drops of water to create more steam.
It is acceptable to have slightly larger pieces after the slicing or chopping, the only requirement being that the pieces should be easily steam cooked. If the pieces are larger then, some water may have to be added to aid cooking.
There are many combinations of veggies to give a different sort of "thoran". Like beans and carrots may be combined, green gram and cooking bananas may be combined, so on and so forth.
If I have really fresh coconut at hand, I like to garnish the "thoran" with some nice creamy white shavings just before serving.
Fresh green spinach or red amaranthus ("red cheera") makes for delicious "thoran" too. When making a leafy "thoran",discard the stems and wash the leaves well. Hold a large bunch of leaves and chop into fine shreds. Also, add more chopped onions in a leafy "thoran". The rest of the method is the same. Never add any water while cooking this "thoran".
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