Raw papaya is very easily available in Singapore too, thanks to the Thais and their affinity towards raw papaya salads.
The method used to make kappalanga thoran is very non-fussy and this is how amma makes most of her thorans. You can leave it to cook and focus on other dishes.
Also check out moringa thoran, spinach thoran, and papadom thoran recipes, all from Kerala.
Raw Papaya (Kaplanga) Thoran Recipe
Serves 4
Preparation time: 15 mins
Cooking time: 15 mins
Ingredients:
1 small raw papaya (kaplanga / omakka)
1/2 cup of grated coconut
2-3 shallots
1 tsp of jeera / jeerakam / cumin seeds
3-4 green chillies
1/4 tsp of turmeric powder
1 tbsp of (coconut) oil
1/4 tsp of mustard seeds
A few curry leaves
How to make Thoran:
1. Peel the raw papaya, cut into half, deseed and chop into very small pieces. In malayalam, we’d say “kothi ariyuka”.
2. Coarsely grind the coconut with the shallots, green chillies, turmeric and half the jeera. Mix this thoroughly with the chopped papaya along with salt. Add the rest of the cumin seeds whole to this mixture. (Alternately, you can also grind all of the jeera along with the coconut).
3. Heat the oil in a wide pan and add the mustard seeds. When they pop, add the curry leaves and after 5 seconds, add the raw papaya mixture. Stir well to combine the oil and make a small mound of it towards the centre of the pan and pat it down firmly.
4. Keep the flame at the lowest possible and cook the papaya covered. There’s no need to add any water. (you can use a wider lid for the whole pan as well, it doesn’t necessarily have to be tightly closed like below.
5. Let this cook for about 10-15 mins until the papaya is soft. You can mix it in between if you feel like the bottom is burning but if you keep the flame low, it should be fine. I do mix it once or twice in between, pat it down again firmly, close, and cook further.
Loks so flavourful…Apt with rice
Lovely recipe.
"kothi ariyuka" does this involve gently bringing down the veggie on the knife where it is cut at random but the pieces are very fine?
Love the veggie.
It means bringing the knife down on the vegetable in short swift motions and then cutting it horizontally which gives you tiny pieces. Even cabbage is chopped for the thoran the same way.
We love all green papaya recipes. This one looks like a new entrant to our list. With coconut it should be just great.
They look delicious..Bookmarked
Aarthi
This looks awesome, a new one for me, chopping the raw Papaya so finely would have been the hardest part..
Awesome and delicious recipe.. looks absolutely inviting.. Yummy !!
Indian Cuisine
I had no idea what a kaplanga is 🙂 sounds easy! Making your Bombay potatoes today!
I have a Filipino aunt who used to make me some kind of raw papaya salad all the time, I have no idea what it's called, but I know it had raisins in it…I will have to try this, it looks amazing!
Nice! Your Kaplanga thoran is SO different what my mother and I make! 🙂