There is a vegetable stall in Little India, Singapore, which I absolutely adore. It has all the "Indian" vegetables that I sorely miss and crave for after weeks of eating dishes cooked with just French beans and carrots and broccoli. This stall usually has purple brinjal, drumstick, drumstick leaves, fresh bunches of methi and pudina and kothamalli.. ahh.. its a true delight to go there every now and then. Once, I saw some fresh avarakka (avarakkai in Tamil) and I had to buy them!
I made a simple thoran with it, nothing fancy and we both loved it with some rasam and rice!
Avarakkai Thoran RecipeIngredients:
2 cups stringed and chopped avarakka (leave the seeds in too)½ cup grated coconut (fresh or frozen)½ teaspoon jeera/jeerakam2 green chillies, or to taste4 + 2 shallorsA few curry leavesA pinch turmeric powder¼ teaspoon mustard seeds2 teaspoon OilSalt to tasteHow to Make Avarakkai Thoran1. Cook the chopped avarakka in a closed plan by adding about ½ cup water until soft. Make sure you don't have any leftover water by cooking it further with the lid open. Set aside.2. Grind the coconut with the green chillies, turmeric powder, 2 shallots, jeera, some salt and very little water sprinkled on top.3. Heat oil and add the mustard seeds. When they pop, add 4 sliced shallots and fry until lightly browned. Then add the ground coconut and fry for 30 seconds.4. Add the cooked avarakka to this and mix well. Adjust salt. Let it cook on low fire for about 5 mins until there is no more moisture left in the avarakka.
Serve Avarakkai Thoran hot with rice and rasam.
Lena Rashmin Raj
Nags....i love this..i make in a different way.. :)surely i wl try...wrz ur native??
Shama Nagarajan
looks yummy...simple and comfort
My Experiments with Cooking
It looks so so fresh. I guess more so because you talked about that store. I stir fry them after cooking and sprinkle some sugar. It tastes divine. Na? I just made it yesterday, bingo again!
Parita
We call it Papdi in gujarati and its one of the main ingredients in Oondhiya, its a very famous gujarati curry, i loved this thoran and will def be trying this soon! the click is gorgeous!
Kamana
I have always enjoyed thoran recipes. never tried one with broad beans. must do so now.
Pari
Hi Nag! I adore the simplicity of thoran let it be made with any veg. Nice click.
If you like Dum cooking check out my Dum Arvi.I hope U like it.
Nags
Lena - Kerala 🙂
Ann
The first click makes me crave to atleast see some of them live..I miss them so badly..we had so much there at home..and carry a special flavour with them..
Thoran made me notalgic and if I have lill of that along with a fish fry and pappad,would be in heavan..
RAKS KITCHEN
Yes,you are right,nothing beats this simple south indian meal -rasam,poriyal,rice!
I just love them 🙂
Nags
parita- papdi? wow! that's interesting! 🙂