Despite the fact that deep in my heart I’m a pure unadulterated Bong, I have an ever-growing curiosity to try out food from various cuisines around the world. Ever since my marriage, I have been staying in the Southern part of India, first Hyderabad and now for the last 9-10 years, in Bangalore. I never get tired of picking up recipes from my southern friends & neighbours and try those at my house.
The one cuisine of South India, that particularly never ceases to amaze me because of its richness and variety, is the Malabari or Keralite cuisine. During Onam, the Malayalis prepare an array of vegetarian dishes which they call as Sadya. Of all the Sadya dishes, the one which I’m very fond of is the Thoran. Thoran is prepared with mainly cabbage (there are variants which use other veggies too!), cooked with coconut, onion & garlic in very little oil.
Here I am, with my own version of Thoran where I have used Beetroot (no prize for guessing….me being a beetroot fan-a-tic) along with cabbage and sprouted moong. It's absolutely easy to cook and a very healthy food.
Beet root(thinly sliced) – 1 cup
Sprouted Moong daal – ½ cup
Cabbage (chopped) – 1 cup
Onion (thinly sliced) – ½ cup
Garlic (finely grated) – 5 to 6 cloves
Coconut(grated) – 1 cup
Green chili (chopped) – 3 nos
Red chilis – 2 to 3
Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
Curry leaves – 7 to 8
Turmeric powder – 1 tsp
Cooking oil – 2 Tbsp
Salt – as per taste
Wash vegetables separately and keep them in a strainer so that water drains off completely.
Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds and red chilli. Add curry leaves and after few seconds add chopped garlic and onion. Fry for 2 to 3 minutes until onion become soft. Add sprout and mix well.
Add Beetroot and stir fry for some time and then add chopped green chilli, turmeric powder and salt and mix well. Lower the flame, cover it and let it cook for 7 to 8 minutes with stirring occasionally.
When the vegetable becomes little soft add finely chopped cabbage and mix again. The idea of cabbage being added at a later stage is to keep it little crunchy. Cover the lid and cook it for another 6 to 8 minutes.
Now add grated coconut and mix it well with the vegetables. Cover it and cook for a couple of minutes.
