A delicious vegetable thoran side dish, especially very common in Kerala Christian cuisines. Ethakka Vanpayar Thoran is an excellent combination with rice porridge (കഞ്ഞി) and typically served on prayer gatherings. In this preparation, Plantain (ഏത്തക്ക) and red beans/chori (വൻപയർ) blended together with coconut masala. We can see slight variance of preparation from place to place.
For ~ 10 Servings
Ingredients
- Raw Plantain (പച്ച ഏത്തക്ക) – big : 2
- Red beans (വൻപയർ) : 500 Kg
For grinding:-
- Coconut : 3 Cups
- Jeera : 1 T sp
For tempering:-
- Mustard seeds : 1 T-sp
- Red chilli : 3
- Curry leaves : 3 sprigs
- Oil : 3 Tbl sp
- Chopped onion : 1 Cup
- Crushed garlic : 1 pod
- Crushed ginger: ½ inch
- Crushed green chilli : 15 (adjust)
- Turmeric powder : ¾ T- sp
Method
- Soak the red-beans (vanpayar ) overnight in warm water with 2 Tsp salt.
- In a blender/ mixie add the coconut along with jeera and make a coarse mixture (like the masala of thoran).
- Cook the red-beans with enough water and salt, cook until the beans is soft ( don’t smash it).
- Drain the water in a colader, keep 1/2 cup of water from it for later use.
- Cook the plantain with enough water, salt and 1/4 Tsp of turmeric powder till soft, (don’t smash it) and drain the water.
- In a kadai/ pan add the oil and add mustard seeds and let it splutter.
- Then add chilli and fry it.
- Then add the curry leaves, ginger, garlic and green chilli and fry it for about 2 minutes.
- Add the chopped onion along with salt and fry it till translucent .
- Now add the turmeric powder and the coconut and jeera mixture and fry it for about 2minute.
- Then add the cooked beans and plantain and mix everything well along with the 1/2 cup of water (saved before)
- Close the lid and wait for another 3-4 minutes to blend the masala , beans and plantain together.
- Take the lid out and mix it together again
Tips:-
The consistency may be varied for individual preference adding less or more water at the end and adjusting the cooking level of the beans
