Table of Contents
Ingredients in Thoran Tips to Make Thoran Cabbage Thoran Recipe Card Step by Step Images for Cabbage Thoran
Ingredients in Thoran
Vegetables: thoran can be made with a wide variety of vegetables and cabbage is easily one of the most popular. The vegetables are often finely chopped to make thoran and cabbage is no exception. This is the most time-consuming part of preparing thoran and I find using a food processor or chopper really helps to speed this step along. If chopping manually, ensure you cut the cabbage into long strops and then finely dice it into as tiny pieces as you can Coconut: coconut is an important ingredient and one that cannot be skipped. Use fresh or frozen coconut for best flavour. In a pinch, dried or desiccated coconut can work but it’s not going to taste very ‘authentic’ Chillies: thoran can use a variety of chillies to add heat and my favourite to use in cabbage thoran is fresh green chillies. You can use any kind you have in hand, just check and adjust to the heat you prefer. Dried red chillies or chilli powder can also be used for a different yet fantastic flavour Cumin seeds: are the main spice used in thoran for flavour so it’s an integral ingredient too. Buy and use raw cumin seeds, not roasted or ground. This adds a nice earthiness to thoran. Turmeric powder, curry leaves, mustard seeds: The miscellanous ingredients that all add the much-needed flavour and round up your thoran. Easily available in all Indian pantries and items you must stock up on if you plan to cook Indian food fairly regularly Oil: you can use any oil you prefer although strong flavoured ones like olive oil are best avoided. I only use coconut oil to make thoran because that is what truly elevates this dish so if you are not opposed to its use, time to pull out your jar of coconut oil
Tips to Make Cabbage Thoran
Needless to say but worth mentioning anyway, the fresher your cabbage, the better! Chop the cabbage as fine as you can Use freshly grated coconut if possible or use frozen coconut, thawed Typically, coconut is ground with cumin seeds and chilli while preparing thoran, but for cabbage thoran, we just mix all ingredients and cook them together. However, if you prefer, use a pestle and mortar to gently smush the coconut and get the juices out before adding mixing with the rest of the ingredients Do not skip the cumin seeds The method I have listed below is the quickest way to make cabbage thoran and what we have always followed. It involves adding no or very minimal water to cook the cabbage, letting it cook in its own moisture. Since we are chopping the cabbage really fine, it cooks quite fast
Other thoran recipes you might want to try: chicken thoran, beans thoran, beetroot thoran. Cabbage thoran is also an important dish as part of Onam sadya or wedding sadya.
Step by Step Images to Prepare Cabbage Thoran
Combine all ingredients except oil and mustard seeds in a plate or bowl. Mix well together. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds. When they start to pop, add the cabbage mixture to it. Form a tight ‘mountain’ with the cabbage mixture and pat it down firmly. Cook covered for about 5 minutes or so on very low heat. Check to ensure the cabbage is cooked and soft. Give everything one more mix and add salt as needed. Remove from heat and serve hot with rice and Kerala sambar.
