I love to eat Vazhuthana thoran when prepared with this recipe. This is the simple and tasty version of a Kerala style Vazhuthana recipe.

Vazhuthana or Vazhuthanga is the Malayalam name for brinjal.

Different varieties of brinjal available in Kerala – Green, vilot, vilot with white shade in long and round shapes.

Here I’m using green color long brinjal for this recipe as it’s the apt one for this recipe.

How to make Vazhuthana thoran

Here I’m explaining the ingredients and method of making Brinjal thoran.

Ingredients

1. 1. Chopped green brinjal – 2.5 Cups/ 4 Medium sized
   2. Chopped onion – 3/4 Cup/ 1 Medium
   3. Scraped coconut – 1 Cup
   4. Sliced green chili – 1 Big
   5. Turmeric powder – 1/4 Teaspoon
   6. Curry leaves – 1 Sprig
   7. Coconut oil – 1 Teaspoon
   8. Salt – To taste

To temper

1. 1. Coconut oil – 2 Teaspoon
   2. Mustard seeds – 1/2 Teaspoon
   3. Dried red chili – 2 Nos
   4. Curry leaves – 1 Sprig

Method

1. 1. Mix ingredients 1-8, rub well together and keep it aside for minimum of 10 minutes.
   2. Heat a pan and heat coconut oil.
   3. Splutter mustard seeds then add dried red chilies and curry leaves.
   4. Add the rubbed brinjal mix and combine.
   5. Keep the flame low and cook pan covered for around 7-8 minutes or till brinjal is cooked properly, stir in between.
   6. After the brinjal is cooked well open the lid and stir in medium flame till moisture content evaporates.
   7. Switch off the flame and serve with hot rice.

Pro tips & tricks by Anishya

1. Chop the brinjal thin and evenly.
2. Mix the  ingredients from 1-8 properly, preferably rub with hands. So that brinjal become soft and water will ooze out while resting it.
3. No need to add water, water oozing out while rubbing and resting will be enough for cooking the brinjal.
4. Don’t over cook brinjal, so that it will become mushy.
5. Cook/ rub the brinjal with other ingredients  soon after chopping it else it become brown in color over time.
6. Use fresh coconut and coconut oil for that Kerala taste.
7. Green brinjal is preferred to make this recipe.

Variations you can try

1. You can add 1 or 2 eggs at the end of the cooking and scramble it with the brinjal thoran. This egg brinjal thoran is also tasty.
2. Instead of tempering you can directly cook the rubbed mixture and sprinkle some coconut oil at the end of the cooking.

Storage tips

1. You can keep the thoran in fridge for 1-2 days.
2. Make recipes out of brinjal once it’s chopped as it turns brown over time.
3. Rub with salt and oil if you are keeping the chopped brinjal uncooked longer time.

Best serving combos suggested by Anishya

1. Hot Kerala rice + chammanthi + any pickle
2. Hot Kerala rice + rasam
3. Hot Kerala rice + moru curry
4. Hot Kerala rice + fish curry/ fish fry
5. Hot Kerala rice + chicken curry
6. Hot Kerala rice + beef curry