This vanpayar thoran Kerala style recipe is also an easy method of making vanpayar thoran (adzuki beans or red cowpeas with coconut and spices) in Kerala style.
Vanpayar (as known in Kerala) is also popular in other cuisines and the different names include adzuki beans, red cowpeas, red moong dal, red chori, red lobia etc!
I have another blog post where we discussed how to make one pot vanpayar thoran in pressure cooker where we basically dump all ingredients in the pressure cooker to make the vanpayar thoran.
In this vanpayar thoran Kerala style recipe too, we cook the adzuki beans or red cowpeas or vanpayar in pressure cooker and then we transfer the cooked cowpeas (vanpayar) to another pan to mix with the seasonings which adds much flavor to the dish.
There are many ways you can prepare these things, it is just about how you want it at the time and your time and convenience. I just want to show you that you can make this dish in many different ways and it turns out delicious which you can enjoy with rice for lunch or dinner.
By cooking with red cowpeas many times, this is what I understand about it . You can cook this easily without getting worried about it getting overcooked unlike the green mung beans, as the red cowpeas takes much longer time to cook.
You can cook this in pressure cooker (for 1 cup of red cowpeas you can use 3 cups of water) with just enough salt for about 10 to 12 minutes or 3 to 4 whistles which will cook the cowpeas soft.
There may be some water left after the cooking, which you can either add with the gravy you are making, or you can discard if you wish (but its healthy so its better to save to be used as broth) or you can heat the contents with the cooker open for another few minutes so the water remaining will get evaporated.
More Kerala Style Recipes Using Red Cowpeas:
One pot vanpayar thoran recipe
vanpayar mezhukkupuratti (stir fried red cowpeas with spices)
banana flower thoran with red cowpeas
drumstick leaves curry with red cowpeas
So here is how you can make this delicious vanpayar thoran following this vanpayar thoran Kerala style recipe.
How to make Indian Kerala style stir fried adzuki beans with coconut?
We use the following ingredients to make easy, delicious adzuki bean stir fry with coconut or vanpayar thoran in Kerala style.
Ingredients used
adzuki beans (vanpayar, dry red cowpeas) 1 cup
water 3 cups
salt as needed
grated coconut 1 cup or use dry shredded coconut
garlic 2 to 3 cloves crushed
ginger crushed 1 teaspoon optional
green chilies 1
cumin seeds ½ teaspoon
turmeric powder ½ teaspoon
red chili powder ½ teaspoon
For seasoning
coconut oil 1 tablespoon
extra coconut oil 1 tablespoon optional
mustard seeds 1 teaspoon
curry leaves a few
dry red chilies broken a few
shallots or small pearl onions 2 to 3
Step by step instructions
Soak the dry cowpeas in some water for about half an hour for best results (this is not necessary but will make it better).
After soaking in water for about half an hour, drain the water and rinse the cowpeas in fresh water.
Add the red cowpeas to pressure cooker with 3 cups of water and enough salt, close the cooker and cook for about 12 minutes or until 3 to 4 whistles come.
After 10 to 12 minutes of cooking in medium heat, switch off the pressure cooker and wait for the cooker to cool down.
Meanwhile coarsely grind the coconut, green chili, cumin seeds, ginger and garlic in a food processor without adding water.
If the mixture gets too dry, you may sprinkle very little water.
Keep this coconut mixture aside.
Once the pressure cooker is cooled enough, open the cooker and see if the red cowpeas is cooked enough and soft.
There may be a little water remaining in the cooker after the red cowpeas is cooked, now you can drain this water and discard it or save it for later use as it is great to be used as a healthy delicious broth.
However I am just going to heat the contents along with the water for a few minutes in a pan, and I have noticed that as I add the coconut mixture, there won’t be anymore water left, as some of the water evaporates and any remaining water will get absorbed in the coconut mixture, so I am not draining the water here, as it will make the dish more delicious with much more flavor.
So I will explain how to make the vanpayar thoran without draining out any excess water remaining after cooking the cowpeas.
Peel the shallots or pear onions, wash them and slice in half, keep aside.
Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a pan and add the mustard seeds.When the mustard seeds splutter, add the red chilies and curry leaves, fry for a few seconds.
Add the sliced shallots (or pearl onions) and saute for a few minutes, say 2 minutes until the onions starts turning brown.
Transfer the contents of the pressure cooker, the cooked red cowpeas and water, to the pan, stir well the contents.
Saute in medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes so the water content will almost evaporate.
Add the turmeric powder and red chili powder, mix the contents well.
Add the grind coconut mixture to the pan, mix everything well and saute for another 2 to 3 minutes so the remaining water will get absorbed by the contents in the pan.
Cover and cook the contents in low heat for another 2 minutes so the flavors will blend nicely.
After 2 minutes, open the pan and add the extra one tablespoon of oil to the thoran, mix well the contents and lightly saute for one more minute.
The delicious vanpayar thoran or red cowpeas dry dish with coconut and spices is ready to be served!
Below you can get the detailed recipe for stir fried adzuki beans in detail.
Adzuki Beans Stir Fry With Coconut (Vanpayar) Indian Style
Ingredients
- 1 cup adzuki beans (also known as vanpayar, red cowpeas, red chori, red lobia etc) dry beans
- 3 cups water
- salt as needed
- 1 cup grated coconut or use dry shredded coconut
- 2 cloves garlic crushed
- 1 teaspoon ginger crushed, optional
- 1 green chilies green chilies 1
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds ½ teaspoon
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder ½ teaspoon
- ½ teaspoon red chili powder ½ teaspoon
For seasoning
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil 1 tablespoon or another oil like canola oil, sunflower oil etc
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds 1 teaspoon
- 1 string curry leaves
- 4 dry red chilies broken
- 3 shallots or small pearl onions
- extra coconut oil 1 tablespoon, optional
Instructions
- Soak the dry adzuki beans or cowpeas (vanpayar) in some water for about half an hour for best results (this is not necessary but will make it better).
- After soaking in water for about half an hour, drain the water and rinse the cowpeas in fresh water.
- Add the red cowpeas to pressure cooker with 3 cups of water and enough salt, close the cooker and cook for about 12 minutes or until 3 to 4 whistles come.
- After 10 to 12 minutes of cooking in medium heat, switch off the pressure cooker and wait for the cooker to cool down.
- Meanwhile coarsely grind the coconut, green chili, cumin seeds, ginger and garlic in a food processor without adding water. If the mixture gets too dry, you may sprinkle very little water. Keep this coconut mixture aside.
- Once the pressure cooker is cooled enough, open the cooker and see if the red cowpeas is cooked enough and soft.
- There may be a little water remaining in the cooker after the red cowpeas is cooked, now you can drain this water and discard it or save it for later use as it is great to be used as a healthy delicious broth. However I am just going to heat the contents along with the water for a few minutes in a pan, and I have noticed that as I add the coconut mixture, there won’t be anymore water left, as some of the water evaporates and any remaining water will get absorbed in the coconut mixture, so I am not draining the water here, as it will make the dish more delicious with much more flavor. So I will explain how to make the vanpayar thoran without draining out any excess water remaining after cooking the cowpeas.
- Peel the shallots or pear onions, wash them and slice in half, keep aside.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a pan and add the mustard seeds.
- When the mustard seeds splutter, add the red chilies and curry leaves, fry for a few seconds.
- Add the sliced shallots (or pearl onions) and saute for a few minutes, say 2 minutes until the onions starts turning brown.
- Transfer the contents of the pressure cooker, the cooked red cowpeas and water, to the pan, stir well the contents.
- Saute in medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes so the water content will almost evaporate.
- Add the turmeric powder and red chili powder, mix the contents well.
- Add the grind coconut mixture to the pan, mix everything well and saute for another 2 to 3 minutes so the remaining water will get absorbed by the contents in the pan.
- Cover and cook the contents in low heat for another 2 minutes so the flavors will blend nicely.
- After 2 minutes, open the pan and add the extra one tablespoon of oil to the thoran, mix well the contents and lightly saute for one more minute.
- The delicious vanpayar thoran or red cowpeas dry dish with coconut and spices is ready to be served!
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