Kale Brussel Sprouts Stir-fry with Mustard Seeds & Coconut (South Indian Thoren)

Author Notes

On snow bound days I go stir crazy – pun intended. I want something warm and comforting, and usually I’ll think of a stew or soup. But I eat with my eyes and I wanted the look of a salad but not it’s coldness. So this was the result. A quick stir fry of shredded brussel sprouts and chopped kale, cooked “thoren” style. A “thoren” is a South Indian style of vegetable stir fry (cabbage and green beans are the commonly used ones), with a simple tempering of mustard seeds and curry leaves, and addition of shredded fresh coconut for that slight sweet flavor. You can omit the coconut, if it’s not handy, like I did last night (though it’s integral to the dish) and still be completely satisfied with the result. I also left out the curry leaves for this particular combination because I thought that the flavors would be jarring. But you should try it when you use vegetables like cabbage or green beans. Shades of green! —Aditi Goswami