Keralan Cabbage Thoran

Name: Keralan Cabbage Thoran
Yield: Serves 2
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 2 dried red chillies, each broken into several pieces; juice of ½ lemon (optional); 250 g hispi or pointed spring cabbage (or spring greens), shredded into 5mm pieces; 2 fresh green bird’s-eye chillies, sliced into very thin rounds, with seeds; 1 tsp cumin seeds; ½ tsp ground turmeric; 100 g fresh grated coconut, or 2 tbsp desiccated coconut (optional); ½ tsp coarsely ground black pepper; good pinch of salt; 2 tsp black mustard seeds; 2 carrots, peeled and cut into fine matchsticks or coarsely grated; 10 fresh curry leaves, roughly chopped (optional); handful of fresh coriander leaves, finely chopped; 3 tbsp coconut oil or vegetable oil; 30 g (or 4 cm piece) fresh ginger, peeled and very finely grated

Preparation info

Serves
2

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

Autumn and Winter Cooking with a Veg Box (Riverford Companions)

By Guy Watson

Published 2015

About

This is a dry cabbage stir-fry that is delicious eaten with just a poppadum or two. Cabbage pairs brilliantly with chilli, mustard seeds and ginger and this dish is one of many regional Indian variations on the theme. Don’t worry if you don’t have the curry leaves or coconut – the recipe will work well without them.

Ingredients

3 tbsp coconut oil or vegetable oil
2 tsp black mustard seeds
10

Asia
India
Main course
Side dish
Vegan
Gluten-free

Method

Heat the oil in a heavy-based saucepan or wok over a medium heat, and, when hot, add the mustard seeds followed by the curry leaves (if using), cumin seeds and dried chillies. Stir for about 30 seconds, then add the ginger, fresh chilli, turmeric, salt and pepper and fry for another 30 seconds. Watch out – the mustard seeds will pop and spit.

Stir in the cabbage and carrots and cook, co