I grew up on green beans thoren, and while I'll never tire of its crunchy deliciousness, I think adding corn makes it even better. And even though people don't often associate stir-fries with Indian cooking, this dish is a favorite in Kerala. It's a combination of diced vegetables and coconut, but the key is moistening the coconut so it can soak up the ground spices first. This recipe is part of our menu for Sadhya, a South Indian feast.
•Indian ingredients can be mail-ordered from Kalustyans.com.
•Chile can be removed during cooking when the thoren is spicy enough for your taste.
Recipe information
Total Time
45 minutes
Yield
Makes 6 servings (as part of a large meal)
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Stir together coconut, cumin, coriander, cayenne, turmeric, chile, garlic, 1/4 cup water, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a small bowl.
Step 2
Heat oil in a wok or 12-inch heavy skillet (not nonstick) over medium-high heat until it shimmers, then cook mustard seeds and red pepper flakes until mustard seeds begin to pop and/or turn gray. Add curry leaves (if using), covering skillet immediately as they crackle for a few seconds.
Step 3
Add green beans and corn and stir-fry 8 minutes. Add coconut mixture and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender, 8 to 10 minutes. If mixture becomes dry and begins to stick to bottom of wok, add a few tablespoons water. Season with salt.
Recipe notes
Back to topSee Related Recipes and Cooking Tips
The Amazon Ingredient That Will Change Your Curry Forever
No need to trek to an Indian supermarket to score this irreplaceable ingredient.
