Beetroot thoran

Thoran is the archetypal Kerala dish. Its a dry dish with vegetables, grated coconut and spices. At home, we make different thorans from a variety of vegetables like cabbage, beans, carrot, capsicum, spinach, bitter gourd, bottle gourd, beetroot. We also make it from fruits like raw banana and raw papaya, and from flowers like banana flower. 

Cabbage thoran is a classic dish in a Kerala sadya. Sadya is the meal served on a banana leaf for Hindu weddings, and other functions. When I started learning cooking, one of the first dish I tried out was capsicum thoran. 

Beetroot -1 medium, peeled and grated
Refined vegetable oil - 1 tsp
Mustard seeds- 1/4 tsp
Urad dal - 1/4 tsp
Dry red chili - 1, roughly chopped
Salt - to taste

For masala,
Coconut, grated - 1/2 cup
Chili powder - 1/2 tsp
Cumin - 1/4 tsp
Small onion - 2
Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Crush masala and keep aside.

In a saucepan on medium flame, add oil. Add mustard, urad dal and red chili. Fry. When mustard seeds start cracking, add beetroot and salt. Stir. Cover until steam comes or the beetroot becomes soft, 7 to 10 minutes. Stir in between.

Add masala in the center and cover it with beetroot. Cover with lid, 3 minutes. Stir. Remove lid and continue to cook on slow flame until all extra water evaporates. Add salt according to taste.

Recipe credits : Mom