Spiced Cabbage Stir-Fry with Coconut

Sometimes all you crave is a simple, light, earthy Kerala-style thoran with a slightly sweet heat and golden crunch. There’s something quietly perfect about cabbage when it is cooked right. This is a South Indian thoran, a dry stir-fry fragrant with mustard seeds, curry leaves, and sweetened coconut. This version layers in warmth from the coriander, heat from the chilies, and a bit of unexpected depth and umami from the fish sauce. It is quick, satisfying, and packed with flavor, exactly the kind of dish that proves simple doesn’t mean boring @sarchakra 

PREP TIME: 10 mins

COOK TIME: 15 mins

SERVES: 5

Ingredients

• Cabbage 4 cups, shredded or thinly sliced
• Salt, to taste
• Turmeric 2 tsp 
• Asafetida a pinch 
• Fish sauce 2 tsp (skip if vegetarian)
• Mustard seeds 2 tsp 
• Green chilies 3, chopped
• Whole red chilies 3-4, cut into small pieces
• Onion 1, chopped
• Coriander powder 3 tbsp 
• Sweetened coconut ¼ cup 
• Dried curry leaves 6-8 
• Oil 6 tbsp 

Method

• Heat oil in a wide pan over medium heat. Add mustard seeds and let them splutter.
• Toss in the green chilies, asafetida, curry leaves, and red chilies. Sauté briefly until fragrant.
• Add chopped onion and a pinch of salt. Cook until the onions soften and turn translucent.
• Stir in the shredded cabbage. Season with salt, turmeric, fish sauce, and coriander powder.
• Cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the cabbage softens but still has a bit of bite.
• Fold in the sweetened coconut. Continue to cook until the cabbage is tender and the flavors have melded.
• Serve warm as a side with rice, dal, or flatbread or tuck it into a wrap for something a little unexpected.

Notes 

A squeeze of lemon juice or a dash of tamari or soy sauce can be added for umami in place of fish sauce if you are vegetarian.

Dry curry leaves bring great aroma and depth, especially when tempered in hot oil.

This dish does need a little extra oil for the cabbage to coat in all the spices and the rich coconut flavor, but you could do a slightly healthier version too with half the oil.

Thinly slicing the cabbage and onion cuts the cooking process significantly. You still want a slight bite to the vegetables and not a mushy mess!

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