Cherupayar Thoran (Kerala-style Green Gram Stir Fry with Coconut) is a dry, protein-rich side dish made with Moong Bean/ green gram and grated coconut. It’s comfort food in Malayali homes, usually paired with kanji or rice.
In Malayalam, thoran refers to a dry stir-fry with coconut. It’s known as upperi in Central Kerala and varavu in parts of Northern Kerala.
No fancy ingredients or complex prep. This dish uses pantry basics and familiar flavors. Follow our step-by-step guide with cooking tips, storage ideas, and easy variations you can try at home.
Jump to:
- What is Cherupayar Thoran?
- Why You'll Love This Recipe?
- Recipe Ingredients
- Variations to Try
- How To Make Cherupayar Thoran? (Step-by-Step Guide)
- Tips And Tricks
- Serving Suggestions
- Storage Instructions
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
- More Kerala Style Thoran / Mezhukkupuratti Recipes to Try
- Cherupayar Thoran (Kerala Style Green Gram stir-fry with coconut)
What is Cherupayar Thoran?
Cherupayar Thoran is a Kerala-style dry stir fry made with green gram. A crushed mix of coconut, green chili, garlic, and jeera (thenga othikkuka) is sautéed with mustard seeds, shallots, and curry leaves. The cooked green gram is then added and mixed until dry and well combined.
Visually, the dish stays mostly pale green from the cooked cherupayar. A soft turmeric tint coats the moong beans, coconut, and curry leaves. It looks dry but moist, with no excess oil or gravy.
The aroma rises from mustard seeds and curry leaves tempered in hot coconut oil. That warm smell settles over the cherupayar and coconut like a dome.
Taste starts with the soft bite of moong bean. Then comes the flavor of the tempering, a light hit of chili, and finally, a gentle sweetness from the coconut.
A similar dish is Pachai Payaru Poriyal from Tamil Nadu, which also uses whole green gram in a dry stir fry. But Cherupayar Thoran has its own distinct taste and feel.
If you enjoy thoran recipes, try our Beans Thoran next. It brings the same warmth with a bit more crunch.
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 healthy, protein-rich, and full of comfort. It’s quick to make and uses simple Kerala pantry staples.
The flavors are mild and balanced, making it a favorite among kids to elders. Cherupayar cools the body and is often paired with kanji when someone is sick. It’s a classic Kerala sick-day combo.
It also fits beautifully into rice meals and sadya, adding color, softness, and nourishment to the plate.
Recipe Ingredients
1. Cherupayar / Green Gram / Moong Bean
You can soak the beans to reduce cooking time and water. If not soaked, pressure cook longer until cooked but not mushy.
2. Coconut
Freshly grated coconut gives the best taste and texture. Frozen coconut releases more moisture and may make the thoran slightly wet.
3. Other Ingredients
You’ll need shallots, mustard seeds, jeera (cumin), curry leaves, coconut oil, green chili, garlic, ginger, and turmeric powder.
All exact quantities and preparation steps are given in the recipe card below.
If you're not using coconut, you can try Beans Mezhukkupuratti. It is a simple Kerala stir fry made with green beans and onion tempering.
Variations to Try
- Add more heat
Toss in a few dry red chilies while tempering for a stronger kick. - Make it lighter
Skip ginger and garlic to keep the flavors clean. This is often done when pairing with kanji or during sick days. - Try other lentils
Swap cherupayar with red gram (vanpayar), horse gram (muthira), black chickpeas (kadala), or broken moong (cherupayar parippu) for a softer texture. - Use vegetables instead of lentils
You can use the same thoran method with vegetables like cauliflower (cauliflower thoran), beetroot (beetroot thoran), carrot (carrot thoran), and cabbage (cabbage 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.
- Go coconut-free
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 Cherupayar Thoran? (Step-by-Step Guide)
STEP 1: Pressure cook - Clean the beans and add them to a pressure cooker. Add salt, turmeric powder, and water. Pressure cook on medium-high flame for two whistles.
STEP 2: Crush - By that time, crush garlic, ginger, and green chili well. Then add grated coconut and a pinch of jeera. Crush it just to blend everything well. Don't grind it. Keep it aside.
STEP 3: Slice shallots. Heat oil in a pan. Splutter mustard seeds and then add curry leaves. Add shallots and sauté them until soft and translucent.
STEP 4: Add the crushed mixture to the pan and sauté for a couple of minutes. Don't let it brown.
STEP 5: Then add the cooked beans, along with the remaining water. Taste the beans and add more salt if needed.
STEP 6: Raise the flame and keep sautéing the mixture till the water evaporates and the mixture is blended well.
If you liked this, you might also enjoy our Cabbage Thoran. It is another simple Kerala stir fry made with cabbage and coconut.
Tips And Tricks
- Add water only if necessary. Pressure-cooked cherupayar usually has sufficient moisture. Sprinkle a little water only if the mixture feels too dry.
- Stir gently but often. This helps the green gram, coconut, and spices blend well without breaking the beans.
- Don’t overcook cherupayar. Cook until soft but not mushy. Overcooked beans turn pasty and lose the right thoran texture.
Serving Suggestions
Kerala Style Green Gram Stir Fry pairs best with kanji, chutta pappadam, and achar. It is a classic Kerala comfort combo, often served on sick days or for light, nourishing meals.
It is also served as a dry side with Kerala matta rice and curry. It goes well with sambar, moru curry, or parippu, and balances spicy or tangy mains on the plate.
Storage Instructions
Cherupayar 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 avoid moisture buildup.
To reheat, use a non-stick pan over medium heat with a few drops of coconut oil. Stir gently to bring back the original texture. You can also microwave it, 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)
This happens when the green gram is overcooked or soaked for too long. Over-soaked beans absorb too much water and cook faster, so if you don't reduce the cooking time, they turn soft and fall apart while mixing.
Press one bean between your fingers. It should feel soft but still hold its shape. That means it's fully cooked but not mushy, just right for thoran.
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.
Cherupayar Thoran (Kerala Style Green Gram stir-fry with coconut)
Ingredients
Pressure Cook
- 1 cup bean / moong dal Whole Moon cherupayar
- 1 ½ cups water
- salt
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
Crush
- 1 ¼ cups coconut grated
- 5 numbers green chilli
- 1 teaspoon garlic (crushed)
- ½ teaspoon ginger (crushed)
- 1 pinch jeera
Stir Fry
- ¼ teaspoon mustard seeds
- 1 sprig curry leaves
- 6 numbers shallot
- coconut oil
Instructions
- Pressure cook - Clean the beans and add it in a pressure cooker. Add salt, turmeric powder and water. Pressure cook on medium high flame for two whistles.
- Crush - By that time, crush garlic, ginger and green chili well. Then add grated coconut and a pinch of jeera. Crush it just to blend everything well. Don't grind it. Keep it aside.
- Slice shallots. Heat oil in a pan. Splutter mustard seeds and then add curry leaves. Add shallots and sauté it until soft and translucent.
- Add crushed mixture to the pan and sauté for a couple of minutes. Don't let it brown.
- Then add cooked beans along with remaining water. Taste the beans and add more salt if needed.
- Raise the flame and keep sautéing the mixture till the water evaporates and the mixture is blended well.
Notes
- Add water only if necessary. Pressure-cooked cherupayar usually has sufficient moisture. Sprinkle a little water only if the mixture feels too dry.
- Stir gently but often. This helps the green gram, coconut, and spices blend well without breaking the beans.
- Don’t overcook cherupayar. Cook until soft but not mushy. Overcooked beans turn pasty and lose the right thoran texture.
Do you have dry chilies also in this recipe?
The recipe doesn't have dry chillies. I used it as garnish.
I so love this thing. Tastes best when they service it with kanji and kaduku manga pickle at church after the long day good friday service :)
Totally agree. Kanji and payar is the best combination :)
Just came across your website. Have bookmarked it. Going to try a few recipes for sure. Nice pictures and easy to browse site. Thank you for sharing
Thanks a lot! Try out the recipes and lemme know how it turns out for you :)