Cabbage Thoran (Kerala Style Cabbage Stir Fry with Coconut) is a simple vegetarian side dish served in almost every Malayali home. It’s also a staple in Kerala sadya feasts.
Thoran means a dry stir-fry with coconut, usually cooked without heavy spices. In central Kerala, it’s often called cabbage upperi, while in northern Kerala, it’s also known as cabbage varavu.
No complex steps or rare ingredients. Just cabbage, coconut, and a few pantry basics. Follow our easy guide with exact measurements, prep tips, smart storage, and tasty variations.
Jump to:
- What is Cabbage Thoran?
- Why You'll Love This Recipe?
- Recipe Ingredients
- Variations to Try
- How To Make Cabbage Thoran? (Step-by-Step Guide)
- Tips And Tricks
- Serving Suggestions
- Storage Instructions
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
- More Kerala Style Thoran / Mezhukkupuratti Recipes to Try
- Cabbage Thoran (Kerala Style Cabbage Stir Fry with Coconut)
What is Cabbage Thoran?
Cabbage Thoran is a Kerala-style dry stir fry made with finely chopped cabbage and grated coconut. The dish is gently cooked in coconut oil with tempered mustard seeds, curry leaves, onions, green chilies, ginger, garlic, and turmeric.
We don’t add water while cooking. Cabbage releases enough moisture on its own. This keeps the dish soft, light, and never soggy. The color turns yellowish-green as turmeric blends with the cabbage and coconut.
The aroma begins with mustard seeds crackling in hot coconut oil, followed by curry leaves. Then comes a soft sweetness from the coconut and a light cabbage note.
The flavor builds with a mild kick from green chilies, gentle coconut sweetness, and the earthy depth of turmeric. Everything comes together in the richness of coconut oil and the first tempering.
Similar dishes include cabbage poriyal from Tamil Nadu, cabbage palya from Karnataka, cabbage sambharo from Gujarat, and cabbage mallum from Sri Lanka.
If you enjoy thoran recipes, those simple stir-fries with coconut, try our Beans Thoran next for a familiar, comforting twist.
This dish can also be made without grated coconut as a different Kerala stir fry called mezhukkupuratti. In this version, only coconut oil, curry leaves, shallots, and mild spices are used. The texture turns glossier, and the flavor leans more toward roasted and savory, without the gentle sweetness that coconut adds in thoran.
Why You'll Love This Recipe?
We love this recipe because it’s simple, quick, and made with everyday Kerala pantry staples. No fancy prep. Just clean, homely flavors.
It’s an easy way to enjoy cabbage with comfort in every bite. The balance of mild spice, natural sweetness, and coconut makes it stand out from other cabbage recipes.
It pairs beautifully with Kerala rice meals and also completes a traditional sadya with its color, texture, and taste.
Recipe Ingredients
1. Cabbage
Thinly sliced fresh cabbage cooks faster and more evenly for cabbage upperi. You can also grate it for a softer texture.
2. Coconut
Freshly grated coconut gives the best result.Frozen coconut releases more moisture, making it harder to retain the dry texture needed for thoran.
3. Other Ingredients
You’ll need shallots (small onions), mustard seeds, curry leaves, coconut oil, ginger, garlic, and turmeric powder.
All exact quantities, preparation steps, and nutritional values are provided in the detailed recipe card below.If you're not using coconut, you can make Beans Mezhukkupuratti, a simple Kerala-style stir fry prepared with green beans, shallots, and coconut oil tempering.
Variations to Try
- Add a hint of earthy flavor
Include a pinch of cumin seeds during tempering to bring subtle depth. - Add more heat
Toss in a few dry red chilies while tempering to add a spicier edge. - Add crunch
Toast a small amount of rice or white urad dal during tempering for a light bite. - Make cabbage and carrot thoran
Combine finely chopped cabbage and grated carrot in equal parts for a colorful, slightly sweet variation. - Use other vegetables
You can use the same thoran method with vegetables like cauliflower (cauliflower thoran), beetroot (beetroot thoran), carrot (carrot thoran), and green beans (beans thoran).
For firmer vegetables like raw plantain (vazhakka thoran), unripe jackfruit (chakka thoran), potato (urulakizhangu thoran), and ivy gourd (kovakka thoran), chop them small and cook covered until soft. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
Bitter gourd (pavakka thoran) and ladies finger (vendakka thoran) also work well. Spinach (cheera thoran) can be added last, as it wilts quickly and doesn't need much cooking.
- Use lentils instead
If you don’t have vegetables, thoran can still be made with lentils. You can use green gram (cherupayar), red gram (vanpayar), horse gram (muthira), or black chickpeas (kadala) for a soft and filling variation.
Start by tempering mustard seeds, curry leaves, and aromatics in coconut oil. Add the thenga oothukkal, which is a mix of crushed coconut, green chilies, and shallots. Then stir in the cooked lentils and combine everything well.
- Switch the cooking method
Mix cabbage with turmeric, salt, green chilies, onion, and crushed ginger-garlic in a bowl. Temper mustard seeds and curry leaves in coconut oil, then add the cabbage mix and stir-fry until tender-crisp. - Make a coconut-free stir-fry
Thoran can also be made without coconut in a style known as mezhukkupuratti. Go coconut-free with Achinga Payar Mezhukkupuratti, a dry Kerala-style stir fry made with long beans, shallots, and coconut oil.
How To Make Cabbage Thoran? (Step-by-Step Guide)
STEP 1: Remove the thick fibrous outer leaves and wash cabbage under running water. Shred the cabbage into thin pieces or chop the cabbage into small pieces. I like to chop cabbage in my chopper, which makes it very small. Chopping is much easier, and it gets cooked very fast. It tastes yummy too.
STEP 2: In a chopper or mixi, crush green chilly well. Then add coconut. Crush (or pulse) it to blend everything well. ** Don't grind and don't add water. Mix it with chopped cabbage well and keep it aside.
STEP 3: Chop shallots. Heat oil in a pan. Splutter mustard seeds and then add curry leaves. Add shallots, crushed ginger, and garlic. Sauté it until soft and translucent.
STEP 4: Add turmeric powder and sauté it.
STEP 5: Then add chopped cabbage and the coconut mixture and enough salt. Don't add water. It naturally has water in it, which is released while it gets cooked. Don't close the pan.
STEP 6: Cook it until the water evaporates, and the cabbage is done
For a no-cutting option, try Cherupayar Thoran. The green gram can be pressure-cooked, and the rest of the ingredients are tempered and mixed.
Tips And Tricks
- Finely chop the cabbage for quick and even cooking.
- Strain cabbage well before stir-frying to avoid excess moisture.
- Never add water. Cabbage releases enough on its own.
- Avoid covering the pan for long, as trapped steam can make it soggy.
- Stir frequently so the cabbage, coconut, and spices cook evenly without sticking or burning.
- Do not overcook. The cabbage should stay tender-crisp for the best texture.
Serving Suggestions
Kerala-style Cabbage Stir Fry with Coconut is typically served as a side dish with steamed rice and curries such as sambar, moru curry, parippu, or other Kerala curries. It adds more depth to the rice and curry combination.
It also pairs beautifully with kanji and is often included in a traditional Kerala sadya, the vegetarian feast served on a banana leaf during Onam, Vishu, weddings, and special occasions.
In a sadya, this stir fry sits alongside Avial (vegetables with coconut curry), Kichadi (yogurt and coconut curry), Pachadi (sweet-sour yogurt curry), Olan, Kalan, Pappadam, Achar, and many other dishes.
You can read more about the full sadya spread in our Kerala Sadya – God’s Own Feast Guide.
Storage Instructions
Cabbage Thoran stays fresh for 2 to 3 days when stored in a clean, dry, airtight container in the fridge. Let it cool completely before storing.
To reheat, warm it gently in a pan with a little coconut oil to bring back its original texture. Microwaving is possible, but pan-reheating gives better flavor and finish.
If you love simple Kerala stir-fries and want to try a coconut-free version with bold flavor, check out our Pavakka Mezhukkupuratti, made with bitter gourd, shallots, and coconut oil.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
It’s possible, but not recommended. Frozen cabbage releases excess water, making it harder to retain the dry texture needed for thoran.
Start by using only the leafy green parts of the cabbage and avoid the thick white core, which holds more moisture. Lightly salt the shredded cabbage, let it rest for 10 minutes, and squeeze out excess water. This step is optional, but it helps reduce moisture. Always use fresh grated coconut, as frozen tends to release water while cooking. Stir-fry in a wide pan without adding water, and avoid covering it for too long to prevent steam buildup.
More Kerala Style Thoran / Mezhukkupuratti Recipes to Try
I’d love to hear your thoughts if you have tried this! Please leave a ⭐️ rating and a comment below. Don’t forget to share your photos on Instagram and tag @a_little_bit_of_spice.
Cabbage Thoran (Kerala Style Cabbage Stir Fry with Coconut)
Ingredients
- ½ kilogram cabbage
- ¼ teaspoon mustard seeds
- 1 sprig curry leaves
- 6 number shallot / small onion
- 1 ½ teaspoon garlic (crushed)
- ½ teaspoon ginger (crushed)
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- salt
- coconut oil / vegetable oil
Crush
- 1 cup grated coconut
- 5 number green chilli
Instructions
- Remove the thick fibrous outer leaves and wash cabbage under running water. Shred the cabbage into thin pieces or chop the cabbage into small pieces. I like to chop cabbage in my chopper, which makes it very small. Chopping is much easier and it gets cooked very fast. It tastes yummy too.
- In a chopper or mixi, crush green chilly well. Then add coconut. Crush (or pulse) it to blend everything well. ** Don't grind and don't add water. Mix it with chopped cabbage well and keep it aside.
- Chop shallots. Heat oil in a pan. Splutter mustard seeds and then add curry leaves. Add shallots, crushed ginger, and garlic. Sauté it until soft and translucent.
- Add turmeric powder and sauté it.
- Then add chopped cabbage and coconut mixture and enough salt. Don't add water. It naturally has water in it, which releases while it gets cooked. Don't close the pan.
- Cook it until the water evaporates, and the cabbage is done.
Notes
- Finely chop the cabbage for quick and even cooking.
- Strain cabbage well before stir-frying to avoid excess moisture.
- Never add water. Cabbage releases enough on its own.
- Avoid covering the pan for long, as trapped steam can make it soggy.
- Stir frequently so the cabbage, coconut, and spices cook evenly without sticking or burning.
- Do not overcook. The cabbage should stay tender-crisp for the best texture.
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