Looking for a healthy, 10-minute side dish? Cheera Thoran is the ultimate Kerala-style spinach stir-fry that brings "Modern Heritage" to your kitchen.
It’s vibrant, dry, and packed with coconut—the perfect "Modern Heritage" dish to pair with some steaming Matta rice or a simple dal.
Get all your fresh greens and grated coconut delivered for free tomorrow with Frunka.
Spinach (Cheera) - about 500g
Grated Coconut - 1/2 cup
Small Shallots - 3-4
Green Chilies - 2
Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp
Turmeric - 1 tsp
Mustard seeds
Dried Red Chilies
Curry Leaves
Prep time: 10 mins (If you use Frunka’s fresh, pre-washed spinach)
Cook time: 10 mins (Literally)
Serves: 2–3 as a side
Step 1
Don’t just throw the coconut in! In a small blender (or using a mortar and pestle), give the grated coconut, shallots, green chilies, cumin, and a pinch of turmeric a quick “pulse.” You want a coarse, crumbly mix, not a paste.
Step 2
Heat a tablespoon of coconut oil in a pan. Toss in the mustard seeds until they start dancing (popping), then add the dried red chilies and those fragrant curry leaves.
Step 3
Add your finely chopped spinach to the pan with a pinch of salt. Don’t add water! Spinach is mostly water anyway, and we want this dish nice and dry. Sauté for 2–3 minutes until it wilts down.
Step 4
Create a little “well” in the center of the spinach and bury your coconut mixture in there. Cover the pan for 2 minutes on low heat to let the steam cook the rawness out of the shallots.
Step 5
Remove the lid, give everything a good stir to combine the “Forest Green” with the “Parchment White” coconut, and you’re done!