If you wonder how to cook amaranth leaves, try this Indian Kerala style amaranth leaves stir fry with coconut and spices which makes a great leafy green vegetable side dish to enjoy with rice for lunch or dinner!
This amaranth leaf stir fry is a south Indian Kerala style preparation where it is popularly known as cheera thoranor cheera poriyal where cheera is the name for amaranth leaves.
Cheera is also the name used for spinach leaves in Kerala, in fact, amaranth leaves are often referred as a kind of spinach leaves.
I am not sure if they are really spinach leaves, because I think they are of a different variety and they are definitely not the same as palak spinach leaves.
Amaranth leaves are available as red amaranth leaves and green amaranth leaves and often, red amaranth leaves are used in many recipes since they seem to be more popular.
However, what I got here is the green amaranth leaves which looks green in color and the stir fry is delicious and nutritious!
I have this spinach coconut curry and also masala spinach dal palak curry where amaranth leaves works great as well!
So here is how you can make amaranth leaves stir fry which is also known as cheera thoran or poriyal in south India, following this easy amaranth leaves recipe.
How to make amaranth leaf stir fry?
This is an easy recipe for cheera thoran or amaranth leaf stir fry in Kerala style.
I didn't use a seasoning here, but if you wish, you may add seasoning too.
Since the leaves may have water content, it is a good idea to make seasoning in a different pan and add it to the dish once it is prepared.
In this post, I will also give the directions on how to make seasoning for the cheera thoran.
We use the following ingredients to make easy, healthy and nutritious amaranth leaves stir fry.
Ingredients for stir fried amaranth leaves recipe
green amaranth spinach leaves 3 cups (one medium sized bunch)
coconut 2 cups grated or shredded (unsweetened)
oil 2 tablespoons
salt adjust to taste
turmeric powder ½ teaspoon
red chili powder ½ teaspoon
cumin seeds powder ¼ teaspoon
onion powder ½ teaspoon
fresh garlic minced or crushed 1 tablespoon
for seasoning (optional)
oil 1 tablespoon
cumin seeds or mustard seeds ½ teaspoon
dry red chilies 4 to 5 (broken)
shallots or pearl onions peeled and chopped 1 tablespoon (or use minced onions)
Step by step instructions
Wash the amaranth spinach leaves very well and discard any flowers as much as possible.
Chop the leaves in small sized pieces.
You can also chop the stems in small pieces as we use both leaves and stems in this recipe.
Transfer the chopped leaves (with the stems) to a large skillet or pan.
Add salt and cook in open pan for about 2 minutes until the leaves begin to wilt.
Cover the pan with lid and cook for about 4 to 5 minutes until the leaves are cooked and soft.
Once the leaves are cooked, open the pan, stir the contents and add garlic.
Stir fry the contents for another couple of minutes so any leftover water from the leaves will get evaporated.
Add oil and all spice powders, mix well and stir fry for another 2 minutes.
Finally add the coconut and stir fry for another couple of minutes in low heat until the coconut mixture is well blended with the leaf mixture.
If the grated coconut is fresh, you may coarsely grind the coconut in a food processor before adding to the pan.
You may also add a couple of green chilies or red chilies & use cumin seeds instead of cumin powder which you can blend along with the coconut, if you wish.
To make the seasoning (optional):
In a different pan, heat the one tablespoon of oil and add mustard seeds. Once the mustard seeds splutter, add broken red chilies and lightly fry. If you are using cumin seeds instead of mustard seeds, you just need to lightly fry the cumin seeds and then add broken red chilies.
Once the chilies are lightly fried, you can add the chopped or minced onions and lightly fry.
Add this prepared seasoning to the prepared amarant leaf stir fry or cheera thoran and gently mix in.
Serve the cheera thoran or green amaranth leaves stir fry hot with rice & any gravy or curry for a simple, delicious lunch or dinner!
To make this even more delicious, you can scramble eggs in a different pan and mix it with the prepared amaranth leaf stir fry.
Or you may also add the eggs directly to the pan and prepare the egg scramble with the greens in the same pan if you wish.
More leafy green vegetable recipes:
collard green stir fry vegetarian recipe
shredded cabbage stir fry with spices
buttered fried cabbage without bacon
instant pot cabbage stir fry with coconut
cabbage stir fry with coconut on stove top - cabbage thoran
Below you can get the recipe for cheera thoran or amaranth leaves recipe with coconut & spices in detail.
Amaranth Leaves Stir Fry - Indian Kerala Cheera Thoran (Poriyal)
Ingredients
- 3 cups amaranth leaves I used one bunch of green leaves
- 2 cups coconut grated or shredded, unsweetened
- 2 tablespoons oil
- salt adjust to taste
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ½ teaspoon red chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon cumin seeds powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon fresh garlic minced or crushed
for seasoning (optional)
- 1 tablespoon oil
- ½ teaspoon mustard seeds or cumin seeds
- 4 dry red chilies broken
- 1 tablespoon shallots or pearl onions peeled and chopped (or use minced onions)
Instructions
- Wash the amaranth spinach leaves very well and discard any flowers as much as possible.
- Chop the leaves in small sized pieces. You can also chop the stems in small pieces as we use both leaves and stems in this recipe.
- Transfer the chopped leaves (with the stems) to a large skillet or pan.
- Add salt and cook in open pan for about 2 minutes until the leaves begin to wilt.
- Cover the pan with lid and cook for about 4 to 5 minutes until the leaves are cooked and soft.
- Once the leaves are cooked, open the pan, stir the contents and add garlic.
- Stir fry the contents for another couple of minutes so any leftover water from the leaves will get evaporated.
- Add oil and all spice powders, mix well and stir fry for another 2 minutes.
- Finally add the coconut and stir fry for another couple of minutes in low heat until the coconut mixture is well blended with the leaf mixture.
- If the grated coconut is fresh, you may coarsely grind the coconut in a food processor before adding to the pan. You may also add a couple of green chilies or red chilies & use cumin seeds instead of cumin powder which you can blend along with the coconut, if you wish.
To make the seasoning (optional):
- In a different pan, heat the one tablespoon of oil and add mustard seeds. Once the mustard seeds splutter, add broken red chilies and lightly fry. If you are using cumin seeds instead of mustard seeds, you just need to lightly fry the cumin seeds and then add broken red chilies.
- Once the chilies are lightly fried, you can add the chopped or minced onions and lightly fry.
- Add this prepared seasoning to the prepared amarant leaf stir fry or cheera thoran and gently mix in.
- Serve the cheera thoran or green amaranth leaves stir fry hot with rice & any gravy or curry for a simple, delicious lunch or dinner!
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