Beetroot Thoran

The dish I will never fall out of love with.

I have been cooking this dish for years. It’s something I make on repeat and savour the taste each time. It’s a traditional Keralan dish made of dry fried vegetables, spices, grated coconut and of course the golden ticket- fresh curry leaves. I remember the first time I ever ate a thoran at Rasa in Stoke Newington about 10 years ago. They had a seasonal special with cabbage and carrot. It became my obsession. I found myself going back there too often and having thoran, rice, dahl and one of their delicious Indian breads on repeat. Eventually I took to cooking it at home and experimented with lots of different vegetables until I landed on beetroot. Vibrant in colour, it won me over instantly. It’s not just delicious but beautiful too. It brightens up any plate. I make a batch of this and serve it alongside other curries and rice like the photo above. I also love it for breakfast with eggs, coriander yoghurt and a little fresh green chili. This recipe is adaptable to the seasons. Carrot, potato, cabbage, peas, summer beans. As long as it’s grated or finely chopped it will work. This is a recipe I’ve kept close to my heart for years so I’m so excited to share it with you and I hope you love it as much as I do.