Cabbage-Carrot Thoran

This is a very common dish that I prepare at home. Super easy too. There are 2 different ways of cooking it, and I'm listing both here. But I usually use the second method because I dont need an extra bowl to combine the ingredients first and then add to the pan.

Credit: Giniann's blog

Ingredients:

• Cabbage shredded into small pieces- one small or half of a big cabbage head. I usually cut the whole cabbage into 4 or 8 small quarters, and then slice them at an angle into super fine shreds. My mom is an expert at shredding it by hand. Nowadays I use my food processor for this - give it a quick pulse.
• Carrot 1 small ,cut or shredded into small pieces. Use grater or food processor
• Coconut 1/4 cup shredded
• Shallots - 1/4 cup or 1 large onion diced 
• Ginger - 1 inch piece
• Greenchillies 5-6( add more or less to suit yr level of spiciness)
• Jeera/cumin seeds 1/4 tsp
• Mustard seeds 1/4 tsp
• Turmeric 1/2 tsp
• Oil 1 tablespoon
• Curry leaves one sprig
• Salt to taste

Method:

Method 1: 

Combine the cabbage, carrots, coconut, salt, crushed green chillies and cumin. Use your hands to mix them well. 

Add oil to the hot pan. When the mustard seeds splutter, add the onions and stir for 2-3 min. Add the ginger and curry leaves now.Then add the turmeric powder and fry for about 30sec. Then add the cabbage mixture, mix everything well and then close the pan with a lid. After about 2 min, remove the lid, give a light stir and return the lid. Remove the lid and stir the cabbage every 2 min. After about 6-8min, the thoran should be done. There is no need to add any water at all…use a nonstick pan for this recipe. The cabbage will retain some of its color, have a bite to it and wont be all mushy.

Method 2:

Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds.When they pop up add chopped onions , green chillies, ginger and curry leaves. Saute well till they are soft and onions turn translucent.

Add turmeric powder and mix it well. Stir in the chopped carrots and cabbage (I usually grate them in the same bowl and combine them together before putting them in the pan, but you can toss it in the pan as well). Add salt and toss it well. Sprinkle a couple of tablespoons of water and simmer it covered for 7-9 minutes , until they are cooked and the raw smell disappears, stirring occassionally so that it wont stick to the bottom. Stir in the grated coconut and cook it uncovered for another 5 minutes.

Serve warm.