Cherupayar Thoran / Moong Bean Stir-fry

 

 

Ingredients (Serves 4 – 6)

Cherrupayar / moong beans / green gram  – 1 cup

Grated coconut – 3/4 – 1 cup

Garlic – 2 – 3 small cloves

Pearl onions  – 2 – 3

Cumin seeds – 1/4 tsp

Green chillies – 2 – 3

Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp

Chilly powder – 1/2 tsp (Optional)

Curry leaves – 2 sprigs

Salt – To taste

Oil – 1 tbsp

Mustard seeds – 1/4 – 1/2 tsp

Dry red chillies – 2

Curry leaves – A few

Method

Cook the moong beans adding enough salt and water in a pressure cooker or a vessel until done. Crush garlic, green chillies, cumin seeds and pearl onions in a mortar and pestle. Combine the crushed mixture with grated coconut, turmeric powder, chilly powder and crush everything together with your hands (njeruduka). Add this crushed mixture and some curry leaves into the centre of the cooked moong beans and cover it with some of the cooked beans. Cover with a lid and allow to cook for a few minutes at very low heat. Open the lid and mix everything well until dry. Taste check for salt. Heat oil in a pan. Splutter mustard seeds and fry dry red chillies, curry leaves and add to the thoran. Mix well. Serve hot with rice / kanji.