A Super Simple Purple Cabbage Thoran

Monday, July 9th, 2007

Filed Under India - Kerala, Recipes, Side Dish - Dry, Vegetarian

Regular readers here will know that I am not a big vegetable fan. But now with my parents in town, every meal must accompany a veg dish, normally in the form of thorans (a stir fry with coconut and basic seasonings) or mezhukku purattis (a simple stir fry with seasonings). My mom goes nuts with all the new leaves and veggies she finds in the Asian grocery stores here. I never get time to click though, but this purple cabbage thoran caught my attention, just because of the color of the dish. I normally ignore these in the veggie isle, so it is the first time that I have seen these cooked.

Here is some info I found on the web on purple cabbages.

Red and purple cabbages take longer to mature, so these types are generally not as tender as green or white varieties.
When cooking with red or purple cabbage, be aware that the compound (anthocyanin) that gives the cabbage that beautiful color will also turn it blue when it is cooked along with any alkaline substance. Since tap water is often full of alkaline minerals such as lime, be sure to add about 1 teaspoon of acidic agent, such as lemon juice, vinegar, or wine, to the pot when using tap water. If your red cabbage begins to take on that blue tinge in any recipe, the addition of the acidic agent will usually bring back the original color.
(source: http://homecooking.about.com/od/howtocookvegetables/a/cabbagevariety.htm)
Purple cabbage can be used to make a pH indicator!!!

Well, it tasted pretty much the same as regular green cabbage to me! But the color sure made it special.

Ingredients

Oil - 1 tbsp
Mustard seeds - 1/8 tsp
Rice - 1tsp
Urad dal - 1 tsp
Dry red chilies - 2
Thinly sliced shallots - 1 tbsp
Curry leaves
Purple cabbage shredded - 3 cups
Thinly sliced onions - 1 cup
Green chilli peppers (small variety) - 4
Ginger thinly sliced pieces 1 tsp
Shredded coconut - 1/2 cup
Salt to taste

Method

Heat oil in a frying pan and add the mustard seeds. When the seeds splutter add rice and daal and fry till brown. Add dry red chilies, shallots and curry leaves and fry for a minute or so.

Add the cabbage, onions, ginger pieces, green chilies, coconut and salt and mix well.

Cover and cook on medium low heat till soft. No need to add water, there will be enough water from the cabbage.

Uncover and cook on medium high heat and stir fry till completely dry.

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Comments

32 Responses to “A Super Simple Purple Cabbage Thoran”

Coffee on July 9th, 2007 1:36 am

I love this in my salads!!! Great info on the pH value though…… I never thought it would be like that. Once I used a smaal quantity which was just lying in the fridge since a few days in my sweet corn soup and we had blue colour soup for dinner!!!!
Laavanya on July 9th, 2007 1:54 am

I make a thoran with purple cabbage in exactly the same way and we love it at home…
Srivalli on July 9th, 2007 1:55 am

nice colour….and looks interesting

Srivalli
www.cooking4allseasons.blogspot.com
Pavani on July 9th, 2007 2:07 am

That is a simple and nutritious recipe. I have never cooked with purple cabbage before. Will definitely try your recipe soon.
Richa on July 9th, 2007 2:27 am

hey, that thoran looks so pretty with that enticing color good info on the purple cabbage there.
yup, it sure is not as tender as the other ones.
Jyothsna on July 9th, 2007 3:05 am

Ah, now I know why my thoran turned slightly blue!!!:) Thanks for that info about the PH value.
Mishmash ! on July 9th, 2007 3:18 am

I think all moms are alike when it comes to fresh veggies and seafood…I remember my mother buying the violet cabbage from Ooty years back, on our vacation…she went crazy seeing this strange color that time but somehow I dont like its taste…may be I am used to the regular cabbage..:P

Shn
musical on July 9th, 2007 3:18 am

Lovely recipe and in quite enjoyed the pH indicator bit, Sig!

Its on my “Have to make” list now!
Vcuisine on July 9th, 2007 4:29 am

Another comfort food Sig. nice photo. Viji
sra on July 9th, 2007 5:09 am

The first time I saw this, I tried poking it to see if the colour was artificial! Now it’s to be found everywhere!
Suganya on July 9th, 2007 5:44 am

Beautiful color.. I like to add this to my salad, shredded..
sunita on July 9th, 2007 8:41 am

The colour does make it special…speaking of colour, I also loved that of your fish curry, although I’ll have to reduce the heat to a much lower level…
indosungod on July 9th, 2007 11:16 am

The color makes it different from the regular cabbage. It gets the kids excited for sure.
Sia on July 9th, 2007 12:05 pm

he he… good to know that ur mom is making u eat veggies:)
liked the little notes u have given there. first time i cooked this purple cabbage it turned out to be dirty blue, now i know whats the reason behind it. thoran is very much similar to palya we make. but we dont add rice in seasoning.
Asha on July 9th, 2007 12:38 pm

I just saw somebody blogging Purple Cauliflower!:D
Looks great,I made a dish with this once,purple galore!
You missed my latest post Sig,posted some photos too.Check them out:)
Vini K on July 9th, 2007 1:39 pm

Hi Sig,thoran looks good.I have never used purple cabbage before.Will try this time.the picture makes me want to eat cabbage in the middle of summer!:)and great info about the cabbage too.
Gini on July 9th, 2007 2:00 pm

Glad to see that you are finally eating some veggies:)
I tried growing these cabbages and they took for ever. Finally the snow came and took them. Haven’t looked at them since.
Bharathy on July 9th, 2007 2:20 pm

I had a hectic week past,Sig and missed lots of yummy posts from my friends..

That Red fish curry with this purple thoran and red matta rice…just imgine!!..ah yes with a couple of freshly fried pappadams in coconut oil..:)
DEEPA on July 9th, 2007 4:03 pm

wow!!!…u r preparing the perfect keral recipe …u tried it with purple cabbage ..something different
Amy on July 9th, 2007 7:33 pm

Oh wow what a vibrant color! I’ve never seen purple cabbage before.
Sharmi on July 9th, 2007 8:17 pm

I have always loved the thorans. I make it like the keralites make them. but found purple cabbage didn’t have much taste like the green one. dont you think so? your pics are yummy though.
Roopa on July 10th, 2007 3:12 am

hmm i have never tried cooking with purple cabbage! ph value oh thats great info. let me try next time….
Cynthia on July 10th, 2007 6:47 am

Yes the colour really makes it special. Thanks for that usueful into at the top of the post.

I very rarely cook the purple cabbage but but I like to shed and add other colour veggies to make a coleslaw.
Cinnamon on July 10th, 2007 7:33 am

Colorful looking, simple and nutritious dish. Would like to try it soon.
Susan on July 10th, 2007 12:33 pm

I’m with your parents–I love my veggies! And I love cabbage, so this recipe sounds like a winner to me. I’ve actually been thinking of you lately because my mom is in town for a week. We just moved to San Diego, and she came to see our new place.
Mallugirl on July 10th, 2007 10:26 pm

sig, delete my previous comment..
i have a photo exactly like this of the purple thoran but i never got around to blogging! i love this cabbage more as a coleslaw than thoran. try it in salads.
Sukanya Ramkumar on July 11th, 2007 3:04 am

Lovely colour…..Love it….
Sig on July 11th, 2007 4:43 am

Thank you all for your visit and your nice words.
Girija on July 12th, 2007 10:28 am

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സൗകര്യം പോലെ അവിടം സന്ദര്‍ശിക്കുക.

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Sheela on July 13th, 2007 5:04 pm

i love purple cabbage, but, the regular green cabbage thoran has an inherent sweetness that’s wonderful, don’t you think?

on an aside, just to completely gross you out: did you read this guy who was in this room (windows shut) overnight and was found asphyxiated next morning, and his stomach contents revealed he had had only cabbage for all 3 meals the previous day? urban legend? i think not cabbage is potent that way.
marriedtoadesi.com on July 15th, 2007 8:14 pm

Such great food! Love the picture too, I want to run out and get purple cabbage now!

Thanks!
Kanchana
Dumela on July 15th, 2007 9:57 pm

i really appreciate the info on the PH value of the cabbage, so thats why it goes blue and all…. now will try with a bit of leamon juice… thanks sooo much