Thoran

Thoran (pronounced [t̪oːɾan]); or upperi in Northern Kerala is a class of dry vegetable dishes combined with coconut that originated in the Indian state of Kerala.¹ This common dish is usually eaten with rice and curry and is also part of the traditional Keralite sadhya.

Thoran is a dry dish traditionally made of finely chopped vegetables such as cabbage, yardlong bean and other bean varieties, unripe jackfruit, bittergourd (Malayalam: കയ്പ്പക്ക/പാവയ്‌ക്ക) or elephant foot yam, of leaves such as green or red spinach (Malayalam: ചീര), Moringa oleifera or Ipomoea aquatica, as well as of flowers such as Moringa oleifera or Sesbania grandiflora.

The chopped vegetable is mixed with grated coconut, mustard seeds, curry leaves and turmeric powder and briefly sauteed on a pan over high heat.

Thoran can be also made with carrots, green beans, cabbage, green tomatoes² or spinach, vegetables that were traditionally not available in Kerala. The traditional recipes made in southern Kerala do not use garlic, but in the present day, garlic and onion are also added.