Thoran is part as much a part of Kerala as the monsoons are that inevitably show up in June every year after a blistering summer. Growing up, there was usually a thoran for lunch every day and the beauty of this dish is in its consistency, versatility, and simplicity.
Thoran is essentially a dry vegetable stir-fry that can be made with a wide variety of vegetables and some dry lentils. The vegetables are cooked and then a semi-dry mix of coconut and very simple spices are mixed through to finish off the dish. As with any staple dish that belongs to a place, the spices and add-ons do vary by region and home. Thoran is also called upperi in Northern Kerala, although in Kottayam and central Kerala, we call banana chips upperi and thoran is this side dish made with vegetables, to be served with rice.
Table of Contents
- Ingredients in Thoran
- Tips for Making Thoran
- Recipe Card
- Step by step Pictures for Making Beans Thoran
Ingredients in Thoran
- Vegetable(s): while it’s most common to make thoran with one vegetable, a combination sometimes works better, like in the case of carrot beans thoran because the pairing helps to cut the sweetness of carrot with the heartiness of beans. Other popular vegetables used to make thoran are cabbage, beetroot, long yard beans or achinga, the local vegetables like tender jackfruit, bread fruit, banana flowers and stem, raw papaya, and so it goes. In fact, give my mother any vegetable and she can make a thoran with it.
- Coconut: is an essential ingredient and there’s no thoran without it. Freshly grated coconut is best since the dish relies on very little else for flavour but since that’s not something a lot of us have access to, store-bought frozen and thawed coconut works well. I always buy coconut that has been exported from Kerala, it makes a difference to texture to flavour
- Spices: as with most Kerala dishes, there are minimal spices in a thoran and it relies on the vegetable and coconut for most of it’s appeal. Cumin seeds lend a lovely note to thoran and is a must-have. Green or red chilli is used depending on preference and sometimes, the type of vegetable used. For beans, either works and I usually lean towards red chilli powder for ease and colour
- Other ingredients: we always add a small amount of shallots or ulli to the coconut mixture while making thoran. This is optional especially since many prefer to avoid onion and garlic in their food. However, I always add a small amount of shallots or substitute with red onion because I love it that way. Curry leaves are always welcome and the tempering usually involves just coconut oil and mustard seeds.
Tips to Make Beans Thoran
- Since thoran relies on the key vegetable(s) for its flavour, make sure to slice thin and even. This way, the juices and flavours release into the overall dish. Specifically for beans thoran, the beans is slices quite thin, even more or than what you see in my pics
- Don’t grind the coconut too much, in fact, a quick turn or two in the blender is good enough
- The type of chilli you use – fresh green chilli or red chilli powder, etc – will impact the final flavour of the dish. Go with your preference and experiment to see what you like more
- Add minimal water when cooking the vegetable. I usually just sprinkle some water and cook the vegetable covered on very low heat for it to soften. This also ensures maximum flavour
- Speaking of cooking the vegetable, mushy vegetable is a no-no for thoran. You want it to be cooked soft yet with a bite to it. I’d say that slightly undercooked is better than an overcooked and mushy thoran
- You can adjust the amount of coconut to your liking. I have found that over the years, my ratio of coconut in thoran has gone down quite a bit. When I go back to Kottayam now, I find thoran really coconut-ty, although that’s not a complaint, just an observation!
- Thoran is a great side dish you can prep in advance. Chop the vegetable and cook it before storing and thaw the coconut overnight in the fridge and you can easily put it together in the morning or before a meal
- Thoran also freezes and re-heats beautifully so make an extra batch and freeze for a busy day
Other thoran recipes you might want to try – breadfruit thoran, cabbage thoran, beetroot thoran.
Beans Thoran Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 cups sliced green beans
- 1/2 cup grated coconut thawed, if frozen
- 1/2 tsp red chilli powder adjust to taste
- 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
- 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
- 2 sliced shallots or use 4 cubes of red onion
- 1-2 tsp oil use coconut oil for best flavour
- 1/4 tsp black mustard seeds
- A few fresh curry leaves omit if you don't have any
Instructions
- Cook 3 cups sliced green beans in little water (I add about 1/4 cup) and some salt until tender
- Meanwhile, coarsely grind 1/2 cup grated coconut with 2 sliced shallots (or onion), 1/2 tsp cumin seeds, 1/4 tsp turmeric powder and 1/2 tsp red chilli powder without adding any water. Set aside.
- Heat 1-2 tsp oil in a pan and add 1/4 tsp black mustard seeds.
- When they pop, add the cooked beans
- Top up with the grated coconut mixture and a few curry leaves, mix everything together well and adjust salt as needed
- Let the thoran cook for 2-3 minutes and remove from heat
- That's it! Serve hot with rice and curry
Notes
- You can replace red chilli powder with 1-2 green chillies
- If you don’t have cumin seeds, use half the amount of cumin powder. If using roasted cumin powder, that can alter the flavour so best is to use raw cumin seeds
- You can add some sliced onions or shallots to the tempered oil (after mustard seeds), saute till golden brown and then proceed with the rest of the steps
- In Tamilnadu poriyal, urad dal is added with mustard seeds while tempering. This is not a thing in Kerala thoran but if you feel the need to, you can add some urad dal
- Coriander leaves are not a usual garnish for thoran, but again, if you like it, go ahead and add some
- You can make this thoran with a combination of vegetables like cabbage, beans and carrots combined. Make sure to slice or chop them in uniform sizes and if your vegetables have different cooking times, cook the hardiest one first and then add the others later
Step by Step Images to Prepare Beans Thoran
Cook the sliced beans with very little water until soft yet still holds its shape. Do not make it mushy. Keeping it covered while cooking on very low heat will help speed up the process.
Meanwhile, grind coconut, shallots, cumin seeds, and chilli powder into a coarse paste
Do not add any water
Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds. When they pop, add the cooked beans
Top up with the ground coconut mixture and curry leaves
Mix well together and adjust salt as needed
Cook for 2-3 minutes until the flavours combine, and that’s it! Beans thoran is ready to serve.
Serve beans thoran hot with rice and any curry. This is also an integral dish in Onam Sadya or wedding sadya meals.
Great recipe! I appreciated the insights on “Beans Thoran Recipe” and will surely try to cook it soon