Cabbage and Carrot Thoran-style Salad
A vibrant and flavorful salad from South India, featuring fresh vegetables and aromatic spices, enhanced by coconut.
Ingredients
For the coconut mixture
- 2 tbsp coconut oil (unrefined)
- ¾ tsp black mustard seeds
- ¾ tsp cumin seeds
- 3 escalots (USA: shallots), finely diced
- ½ large onion finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1 whole green chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
- 12 fresh curry leaves
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
- ½ cup unsweetened desiccated coconut
- ½ cup water
- ¾ tsp salt
For the salad
- ¼ small red cabbage, very finely sliced (~6 cups)
- 2 small carrots or 1 very large carrot, peeled and finely shredded
- ¼ cup fresh coriander/cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
Instructions
Cooking the Coconut Mixture
- Melt the coconut oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add the black mustard seeds and cook for 30 seconds until they start to pop.
- Add the cumin seeds and cook for another 30 seconds.
- Stir in the eschalot and onion, cooking until they are translucent, about 3 minutes.
- Add the minced garlic and green chilli, cooking for 2 minutes until softened.
- Introduce turmeric and curry leaves, cooking for an additional 30 seconds.
- Mix in the coconut, water, and salt. Cook until most of the water evaporates, roughly 3 minutes.
Combining the Salad
- In a large bowl, combine the shredded carrot and sliced cabbage.
- Pour the hot coconut mixture over the veggies and toss well. The heat from the mixture will wilt the cabbage.
- Taste and add more salt if needed, then toss through the chopped coriander.
Serving
- Serve warm or at room temperature. It’s best eaten on the day of making.
Notes
Make sure to finely chop the vegetables to enhance flavor absorption. Adjust the spiciness by adding more or fewer green chillies. Use fresh curry leaves for better aroma and taste; dried ones do not have the same flavor.