Cheera Thoran | Kerala Style Easy Red Spinach Stir fry with coconut | Keerai Poriyal

Ask any Mallu to choose between red and green spinach, the answer would be the red one. There is something closer to heart or home with the red spinach for the Malayali :) Especially if the Mallu is in a foreign land and somehow gets to see some red spinach in the market or store, the expression would be "Chummana Cheeraaaaaaaaaa" (Red Spinaaaach) and they would promptly buy it too ;) And there is no brownie points for guessing today's recipe, it's none other than the humble stir fry with the red spinach. It is easy to make like any other thoran, even better, coz there is no grinding or crushing of coconut involved like in some other thorans. Pair it with some curd or Pulissery and matta rice and it's just bliss. "Venel or omelette koodi aavam too ;)" (Can have an omelette too with that combo ;)) 

My other spinach recipes are Cheera Parippu Curry, Cheera Thalippu, Sirukeerai Paruppu Masiyal, Vallarai keerai Poriyal, Chembila Mezhukkupuratti, Chembin Thandu Parippu Curry & Palak Paneer

Serves: 3-4 persons

I Took: 

Preparation Time: 10 mins

Cooking Time: 20 mins

I Used:

Coconut Oil Spinach/Cheera	- -	2-3 tbsp 3 heaped cups - chopped
Shallots	-	10-12 nos - sliced
Red Chilly	-	2-3 nos
Grated Coconut	-	¼ cup

The Way:

1. Wash and rinse the spinach in water 2-3 times so that the dirt and sand is removed. Then spread them on a plate or kitchen towel and allow them to dry for 10-15 minutes

2. Then chop them finely and keep aside. Peel the shallots and slice them

3. Heat the coconut oil in a pan. Splutter the mustard seeds if using

4. Then add the sliced shallots and broken red chilly and saute

5. Saute till they slightly turn colour. Now add the chopped spinach and mix well. Then cover and cook them till done which will take around 10-12 minutes

6. In between open the lid and saute so that they don't get burnt or stuck to the bottom of the pan. If you feel it's too dry add 1-2 tbsp of water and saute. Don't add more, else it will get soggy

7. Finally once the spinach is cooked, add the grated coconut and saute for another minute or two. Switch off the flame and serve with a gravy of your choice

Notes:

• Can splutter mustard seeds in the beginning of needed. I generally do not do that

• You can also make without coconut. That also tastes equally good

Cheers,
Chitz

Vanpayar Thoran | Kerala Style Red Cow Beans Thoran

I love eating legumes.. And lentils too :) And for me this is one favorite way to eat Vanpayar (Red Eyed Beans).. I loove to pair it with some moru kachiyathu, matta rice and any non vegetarian dry dish. Ahh, bliss :) I like it more when I add some grated coconut to it but Deeps and Dhruv prefer it without coconut. It is such a simple dish and comes in very handy when you run out of stock of veggies :) Only thing to remember is to soak the beans overnight :) So shall we see how to make this yummy & simple thoran..

Serves: 2-3 persons

I Took: 

Preparation Time: 10 minutes

Soaking Time: 8 hours

Cooking Time: 30 minutes

I Used:

Red Eyed Beans/Vanpayar	-	¼ cup heaped
Coconut Oil	-	2-3 tbsp
Mustard Red Chilly	- -	¼ tsp 2-3 nos (broken)
Shallots Garlic	- -	12-15 nos (sliced) 5 nos (sliced)
Curry leaves	-	A sprig
Salt	-	As needed

The Way:

1. Rinse and soak the vanpayar/red beans overnight for around 8 hours. While making the thoran, discard the water. Take the beans in a pressure cooker. Add enough water (around 2 cups) and salt and pressure cook till done. It took me 2 whistles in high and 2 in low. Keep aside

2. Meanwhile peel and slice the shallots and garlic

3. Heat the coconut oil in a pan. Splutter the mustard seeds

4. Then add the sliced shallots and curry leaves

5. Also add in the sliced garlic and saute till they slightly turn colour and become soft (around 6-7 minutes)

6. Now add in the boiled beans/vanpayar and give a stir. Keep on high flame and allow all the water to evaporate off (If you like it semi dry, then you can adjust the consistency accordingly) 

7. Finally add the grated coconut and saute for another minute or two. Switch off the flame and serve with a gravy of your choice

Notes:

• Do not cook the beans very mushy. It tastes nicer when they are not soggy and just cooked right
• If you like the dish super dry, then saute coconut first for a minute or two after the shallots and garlic have changed colour. Then finally add the cooked beans
• if you do not like garlic flavour, you can skip that

Cheers,
Chitz

Carrot Beans Thoran | Carrot Beans Poriyal | Kerala Onam Sadhya Recipe

Today's recipe is a simple and easy-peasy side dish with beans and carrot. It is another quick dish that you can prep for your Onam Sadhya :) This is a colourful dish and can grab the attention of toddlers too.. Ohh but not all toddlers and if at all, not always ;) That's the way with toddlers right :D I'm sure everyone has their own way of making this dish and while I was typing out the recipe was thinking if at all this needs to be blogged :D But you know, then I felt this is how I make it and sometimes even I google the simplest of recipes just to get some insight or confidence or coz 'I have not made it before, so let me check' thoughts. So I thought chalo, let me blog it anways ! And so, here's how I make this simple deli thoran with carrot & beans :)

I Took:  Preparation Time: 15 minutes Cooking Time: 20 minutes   Serves : 3-4 persons I Used: Carrot Beans Coconut Oil Mustard - - - - 100 gm/0.5 cups (chopped)  100 gm/0.5 cups (chopped)  1 tbsp ¼ tsp Turmeric powder - ¼ tsp Salt Curry Leaves - - As needed A sprig To Pulse: Coconut - ½ cup Green Chilly - 1 no The Way:

1. Scrape away the skin of the carrot. Nip away the ends of the beans. Then rinse them well in water. And chop them finely into small quarter inch pieces.

2. In a pan take the chopped carrots and beans along with ¼ tsp turmeric powder and salt and little water. Allow them to cook covered in a medium low flame until done. Check in between if water is sufficient, take care not to overcook or burn. When cooked transfer to a plate and keep them aside

3. Coarsely pulse together the grated coconut and green chilly in mixie without adding water. Do not grind to a smooth paste. Just 3-4 pulse until all the ingredients get crushed and mixed well would be sufficient

4. In the same pan used to boil the veggies, heat the coconut oil. Splutter mustard seeds and curry leaves

5. Add the ground coconut paste and and saute for 2-3 minutes. Now add the cooked carrot & beans and give a nice stir. Then switch off the flame in a minute or two and serve

Serve along with brown rice, Sambar and pappad or as a side dish in your Onam Sadhya :)

Notes:

• Coconut is the key ingredient for thoran. So do not compromise on it :)
• If needed can add 2-3 shallots and a tsp ¼ of cumin seeds while pulsing the coconut. We prefer it this way, so I do not add them
• If you need a crunch, can add a tsp of urad dal while tempering the mustard as well

Cheers, 
Chitz

Raw Papaya Thoran | Kerala Style Kaplanga Thoran | Karumoosa Thoran | Naadan Kappakya Thoran

Today's recipe is a slightly different one friends.. Did you know that you can cook raw papaya as a veggie and make amazing dishes out of them? That's one beauty of growing up on the west coast of India in Kerala. You learn to make use of the leaves, stalks or the raw fruits and make varieties of dishes out of it. Most of the Keralites, at least the previous generation grow many fruits and veggies at home itself at their backyard and whip up tasty dishes out of those organic produce. 

I have seen my mil make a very yummy gravy from the raw mango, jack fruit seeds and cucumber, all home grown ;) Usually during the morning ritual of cleaning (sweeping off the dry leaves and such) the front and back yards, whenever she comes across a fallen raw papaya or raw mango, she brings them inside to sneak them into the lunch and dinner menu for the day.. Cool right ;) So I thought I will share with you how to make a thoran (poriyal/stir fry with coconut) using this raw papaya. I also have another gravy type recipe using raw papaya. Will post that sometime later. For now, let's see how to make this easy and ready in a jiffy thoran..

I Took:  Preparation Time: 10 minutes Cooking Time: 20 minutes   Serves : 3-4 persons I Used: Raw Papaya Coconut Oil Mustard - - - 250 gm/1.5 cups (chopped)  1 tbsp ¼ tsp Turmeric powder - ¼ tsp Salt Curry Leaves - - As needed A sprig To Pulse: Coconut - ¼ cup Shallots/Small Onion - 4 nos Green Chilly Cumin seeds Garlic - - - 1 no 3 nos small sized ¼ tsp The Way:

1. Scrape away the skin of the raw papaya and cut it into half. Remove all the seeds from and then rinse them well. And chop them very finely. If you have a food processor, go ahead and use it

2. In a pan, heat the coconut oil. Splutter mustard seeds and curry leaves. When it starts to splutter, add the chopped raw papaya along with ¼ tsp turmeric powder and salt. No need to add water. Allow them to cook covered in a medium low flame until done. Check in between to ensure that it doesn't get burnt or stuck at the bottom of the pan and give a quick stir. It should take about 10-15 minutes to cook

3. Now while the papaya gets cooked, coarsely pulse together the ingredients under 'To Pulse' in mixie without adding water. Do not grind to a smooth paste. Just 3-4 pulse until all the ingredients get crushed and mixed well would be sufficient.

4. Now add the ground coconut paste to the cooked raw papaya and and give a nice stir till the coconut tempering is coated evenly all over. Switch off the flame in a minute or two and serve

Serve along with brown rice, Sambar or pulissery and pappad and a non veg dry dish !

Notes:

• Coconut is the key ingredient for thoran. So do not compromise on it :)

Cheers,

Chitz

Carrot Thoran | Kerala Carrot Thoran Recipe | Onam Sadhya Recipes

Carrots sauteed with coconut-shallot paste

Today I bring to you yet another easy thoran recipe which can be made for an Onam Sadhya as well. I am going to go to my hometown and hubby's place for Onam this year. So this year also I am going to miss making an elaborate Sadhya. Also this year in my society here in Pune they are celebrating Onam and I'm gonna miss that as well :( But spending Onam in Kerala is a different and real feel all together, so I'm not complaining ! And coming to the recipe it's a basic and can be made in a jiffy. So if you want to put up your Sadhya leaf without much sweat shed, here's a simple recipe to your rescue :) 

Other Sadhya recipes: Beans Thoran Cabbage Thoran Mathanga Erissery Mathan Erissery | Mathan Vanpayar Erissery Mampazha Pachadi | Pazhutha Manga Pachadi Mambazha Pulissery | Mambazha Kaalan Chembu Kumbalanga Moru Kootan | Taro-Ash Gourd Pulissery Pulissery | Kachiya Moru | Mor Kuzhambu Sambar | Kerala Style Varutharacha Sambar with no Coconut Homemade Ada for Adapradhaman Recipe Source: Ma   I Took:  Preparation Time: 10 minutes Cooking Time: 20 minutes   Serves : 3-4 persons I Used: Carrot Coconut Oil Mustard Urad Dal - - - - 250 gm/1.5 cups (chopped)  1 tbsp ¼ tsp 1 tsp Turmeric powder - ¼ tsp Salt Curry Leaves - - As needed A sprig To Pulse: Coconut - ¼ cup Shallots/Small Onion - 3 nos Green Chilly - 1 no The Way:

1. Scrape away the skin of the carrot and rinse them well in water. And chop them finely into small quarter inch pieces.

2. In a pan, heat the coconut oil. Splutter mustard seeds. Add urad dal and curry leaves. When it turns golden in colour, add the chopped carrots along with ¼ tsp turmeric powder, salt and little water. Allow them to cook covered in a medium low flame until done. Check in between if water is sufficient, take care not to overcook or burn.

3. Now while the carrot gets cooked, coarsely pulse together the ingredients under 'To Pulse' in mixie without adding water. Do not grind to a smooth paste. Just 3-4 pulse until all the ingredients get crushed and mixed well would be sufficient.

4. Now add the ground coconut paste and and give a nice stir till the coconut tempering is coated evenly all over the carrots. Switch off the flame in a minute or two and serve

Serve along with brown rice, Sambar and pappad or as a side dish in your Onam Sadhya :)

Notes:

• Coconut is the key ingredient for thoran. So do not compromise on it :)

Cheers, 
Chitz

Cabbage Thoran | Kerala Style Cabbage Stir fry with coconut | Cabbage Thoran with coconut for Onam Sadhya

Cabbage cooked in coconut and shallots

Today's recipe is a simple thoran with cabbage. It is very easy to make this dish. Only the chopping/shredding of the ingredients will take some time. But if you have some gadgets to take care of that then the rest of the recipe is a breeze.. I love thoran but the hubby likes to keep the coconut in thoran to a minimal.. But what is a thoran without coconut right? If you are not a great fan of much coconut reduce the ratio of cabbage and coconut. This one is the most easiest of the thorans that I prepare. No grinding or no sauteeing separately ! And that makes it even more tempting to make it for the Onam Sadhya !

Other Sadhya recipes:

Beans Thoran

Beetroot Thoran

Mathanga Erissery

Mathan Erissery | Mathan Vanpayar Erissery

Mampazha Pachadi | Pazhutha Manga Pachadi

Mambazha Pulissery | Mambazha Kaalan

Chembu Kumbalanga Moru Kootan | Taro-Ash Gourd Pulissery

Pulissery | Kachiya Moru | Mor Kuzhambu
Sambar | Kerala Style Varutharacha Sambar with no Coconut

Homemade Ada for Adapradhaman

Serves: 3-4 persons

I Took: 

Preparation Time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 20 minutes

I Used:

Shredded Cabbage	-	3 cups (250 gm or ½ of a medium sized one)
Grated Coconut	-	½ cup
Shallots	-	6-8 nos (sliced)
Green Chilly	-	2 nos
Curry leaves	-	A sprig
Cumin seeds	-	½ tsp
Turmeric powder	-	½ tsp
Salt	-	As Needed

The Way:

1. Clean and chop the cabbage into small fine pieces. You can use a blender/chopper for the same

2. Grate the coconut. And slice the shallots and the green chillies

3. In a large bowl, take all the ingredients viz. chopped cabbage, grated coconut, sliced shallots, sliced green chilly, cumin seeds, curry leaves, turmeric powder and salt. Mix them together nicely. Keep aside for 15-20 minutes. The cabbage will let out some water

4. Now in a kadai/pan heat the coconut oil. Add mustard and let it splutter

5. Now add the cabbage-coconut mix and give a nice stir. No need to add water. Allow it to cook in low flame. In around 15 minutes it should be ready. Check in between and give a stir so that the cabbage doesn't stick to the bottom of the kadai or doesn't get burnt. If you feel it's too dry, you can sprinkle some water. But basically as the cabbage lets out water, you can allow it to cook in the steam without adding water.

6. Once cooked, remove from flame and serve with steamed rice and a hot or tangy gravy !

Cheers,

Chitz

Beetroot Thoran Recipe | Onam Sadya Recipes | Kerala Beetroot Thoran | Beetroot Poriyal

Beetroot sauteed (stir fried) with pounded coconut-shallot and Indian tempering

With Vishu around the corner, I thought I will post some Sadhya recipes. And so here is the first among the series, a simple thoran with beetroot. I love making sadhyas, but never get an opportunity to make a full fledged one as we will always be at Deeps' hometown and there the seniors take care of that.. We are expected to cut some veggies or just give company ;) Actually with proper planning, making a full fledged Sadhya is an easy job and rather an enjoyable one ! To read more on thoran, check out my Beans Thoran recipe.

Other Sadhya recipes:

Beans Thoran

Cabbage Thoran

Mathanga Erissery

Mathan Erissery | Mathan Vanpayar Erissery

Mampazha Pachadi | Pazhutha Manga Pachadi

Mambazha Pulissery | Mambazha Kaalan

Chembu Kumbalanga Moru Kootan | Taro-Ash Gourd Pulissery

Pulissery | Kachiya Moru | Mor Kuzhambu
Sambar | Kerala Style Varutharacha Sambar with no Coconut

Homemade Ada for Adapradhaman

Recipe Source: Ma

Serves: 2-3 persons

I Took: 

Preparation Time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 20 minutes

I Used:

Beetroot	-	2 nos (medium sized - diced)
Turmeric powder	-	¼ tsp
Red Chilly powder Salt	- -	2 tsp As needed

To Temper:

Oil	-	1 tbsp
Mustard	-	½ tsp
Curry leaves	-	A sprig

To Pulse:

Coconut	-	3 tbsp
Shallots/Small Onion	-	2 no
Garlic	-	1 pod
Cumin Seeds	-	¼ tsp

The Way:

1. Peel the skin of the beetroot. Rinse them nicely in water. Then dice them into small bite sized pieces (like really small cubes) (Refer notes)

2. In a vessel, add the chopped beans along with ¼ tsp turmeric powder, 2 tsp (refer notes) red chilly powder, salt and 2 tbsp of water (optional, you can also omit water and allow it to cook in the steam of the pressure) 

3. Now pressure cook the beetroot in medium flame for 2 whistles. You can use double boil method as I have done. Take some water (around 2 cups) in a pressure cooker and keep the plate in the cooker and on top of that keep the vessel with the beets. Else you can directly add the beetroot in the pressure cooker and cook

4. Coarsely pulse together the ingredients under 'To Pulse' in mixie without adding water. Do not grind to a smooth paste. Just 3-4 pulse until all the ingredients get crushed and mixed well would be sufficient.

5. Heat oil in a pan. Splutter the mustard seeds. Then add the curry leaves

6. Now add the boiled beetroot and give a quick stir

7. Then add the ground coconut paste and saute for another minute or two till the raw smell goes off. Switch off the flame and serve with a gravy of your choice

Serve along with brown rice, Sambar and pappad or as a side dish in your Onam Sadhya :)

Notes:

• You can also grate the beets instead of dicing. In that case no need to pressure cook them. Once the tempering is done add the grated beets along with turmeric powder, red chilly powder and salt and cook it closed for 5-6 minutes or till done

• Adjust red chilly powder according to the sweetness of the beets. If you are unsure of how much to add while pressure cooking them, you can add it at a later point, while tempering as well 

Cheers,
Chitz