Spinach and Red Cowpea Thoran: The Kerala Stir-Fry You’ll Crave

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This Spinach and Red Cowpea Thoran brings together chopped spinach, cooked red cowpeas, grated coconut, cumin seeds, green chilies, turmeric powder, mustard seeds, onion, and coconut oil in a simple, homely stir-fry.

The method is straightforward: crush the coconut mixture, temper mustard seeds in coconut oil, sauté onion, stir in spinach and salt, then finish with cooked red cowpeas.

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Quick kitchen note: Add the red cowpeas only after the spinach has wilted, then mix and remove from heat.


🥥 Ingredients

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Coconut – half of one, grated
Cumin seeds – half a small spoon
Green chilies – 5
Turmeric powder – quarter small spoon

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Coconut oil – one big spoon

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Mustard seeds – one small spoon

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Onion, chopped – quarter cup

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Spinach, chopped and pressed – 3 cups
Salt – to taste

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Red cowpeas, cooked – half a cup


🍳 Method of Cooking

1

Combine and crush the first set of ingredients and keep aside.

2

Heat coconut oil in a pan, splutter the mustard seeds, and then add the onion and sauté.

3

Add the crushed mixture to this and stir. When the raw smell is gone, add the spinach and salt and stir.

4

When the spinach has wilted, add the red cowpeas, mix, and remove from heat.


✅ Helpful Cooking Notes

🥥 Crush the coconut, cumin seeds, green chilies, and turmeric powder together first, then keep the mixture aside before heating the pan.

🔥 Wait until the raw smell is gone after adding the crushed mixture. Then add the spinach and salt and stir.


FAQ

What is Spinach and Red Cowpea Thoran?

Spinach and Red Cowpea Thoran is a simple stir-fry made with chopped and pressed spinach, cooked red cowpeas, grated coconut, cumin seeds, green chilies, turmeric powder, mustard seeds, onion, salt, and coconut oil. The coconut mixture is crushed first, then cooked with the spinach and finished with red cowpeas.

How much spinach is used in this thoran recipe?

This recipe uses 3 cups of spinach, chopped and pressed. The spinach is added after the crushed coconut mixture is stirred in and the raw smell is gone. Once the spinach has wilted, cooked red cowpeas are added, mixed, and the pan is removed from heat.

Do red cowpeas need to be cooked before adding?

Yes. The ingredient list calls for half a cup of red cowpeas, cooked. They are added only after the spinach has wilted. This keeps the cooking method quick and ensures the cowpeas are simply mixed through before the dish is removed from heat.

What goes into the crushed coconut mixture?

The crushed mixture includes half of one grated coconut, half a small spoon of cumin seeds, 5 green chilies, and a quarter small spoon of turmeric powder. Combine and crush these ingredients first, then keep them aside until the mustard seeds and onion are ready.

When should the spinach be added?

Add the spinach after the crushed coconut mixture has been stirred into the pan and the raw smell is gone. Then add salt and stir. The red cowpeas are added only when the spinach has wilted, helping the thoran stay fresh and lightly cooked.

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