Mutton thoran is a delicious dry curry from South India, especially popular in Kerala. It is made with tender mutton, coconut and a mix of flavourful spices. This dish goes really well with plain rice, rasam rice, Kerala matta rice, idli and dosai. I learned this recipe from my mother-in-law. It’s her signature recipe and is my husband’s childhood favourite. This mutton thoran can be prepared in less than 30 minutes and also you make mutton rasam / soup using the pressure cooked mutton stock. If you love flavourful dry curries, then this mutton thoran is a must try!
Mutton Thoran
This recipe is my MIL recipe, today hubby told me that she does a thoran kind of recipe when he is little, and it used to taste amazing. So I asked the recipe from her and modified it to my taste. And the result was amazing. Hubby loved it so much.
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Normally my athai used to make this thoran and make the stock as soup. But I used the stock to make rasam and it came out so yummy.
About Mutton Thoran
Thoran is a traditional Kerala dish, made with a variety of vegetables, coconut and spices. It is a staple in Kerala cuisine, often served at special occasions, family gatherings or for a Sunday non veg feast. This South Indian dry curry bursts with flavours of mutton, coconut and spices, and is a perfect accompaniment for idli, dosai, and rice, parotta.
I have a lot of vegetable based thoran like raw banana thoran, banana stem thoran, cabbage thoran, beetroot thoran etc. You can check them out. In this mutton thoran, the dish is made by slowly cooking the mutton with coconut and spices.
Mutton thoran is a delicious twist on the traditional Kerala style stir fry, which is typically made with vegetables and coconut. This version uses tender, flavourful mutton cooked with aromatic spices and tossed with coconut and curry leaves. It is dry, spicy and packed with flavour and it can be paired with rice or enjoyed on its own.
This recipe is originally from my mother-in-law. My husband told me that she used to make a thoran style dish when he was little and he loved it. So, I asked her for the recipe and made a few changes to suit my taste. It turned out great and my husband loved it ! It brought back so many memories for him. This dish has become an absolute favorite in our home. And here I’m sharing this recipe and you all should definitely try this. It will surely become a hit in your home too!
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Why This Recipe Works
Simple and Aromatic flavours : The base has freshly grounded spices and coconut which enhances the flavour of the mutton without overpowering it. Unlike other mutton curries, it does not require any marination. It is such a simple and straightforward recipe.
WHY I LOVE THIS RECIPE - This mutton thoran recipe is very special to me because it’s my mother-in-law's signature dish and my husband's childhood favourite recipe. Even though she is usually shy and doesn’t appear in my youtube vlogs, she gave a sweet appearance in my vlog to share this recipe with me and to everyone. She also shared a cute story that she originally tried to learn this dish from her mother-in-law but couldn’t get it. So she kept asking her husband ( my father-in-law) until he showed her how to make this thoran. And now, this recipe has been passed down to me. I’ll cherish this forever.
Versatile : This mutton thoran recipe is so versatile that you can pair it with rasam rice, Kerala matta rice, idli, dosai, parotta or it can be enjoyed on its own. Also you can prepare mutton rasam or soup using the pressure cooked mutton stock.
Healthy : This recipe requires minimal oil since it is stir fried or not deep fried. It is rich in nutrients and easy to digest.
Ingredients
Mutton / Lamb : Mutton / lamb is the star of the dish and is the primary source of protein. Use bone-in small pieces of mutton and cook until it is tender. You can also try other meats like chicken, beef and seafood.
Shallots : I have used shallots / small onions for this recipe as they are mild in flavour and provide natural sweetness while roasting. You can also replace it with regular onions.
Seasoning : For seasoning use coconut oil, curry leaves. Salt is used to balance the overall taste.
Garlic : Garlic adds a rich aroma to the mutton.
Coconut : The main ingredient for making thoran is fresh coconut. It provides the texture and adds a subtle sweetness. You can substitute with frozen coconut or desiccated coconut.
Spice powder : To add color and heat to the thoran I have used turmeric powder and chilli powder. For vibrant red color, you can also add a tablespoon of kashmiri chilli powder.
Whole spices : To make the coconut masala paste more aromatic I have added fennel seeds, cumin seeds, cinnamon stick, cardamom pods while grinding. This helps to achieve a flavourful and aromatic thoran.
Hacks
Coarse grind : When grinding coconut and other spices make it into a coarse texture not into a fine powder or paste. The coarse texture of coconut only gives the thoran its authentic texture.
Cooking mutton : In a pressure cooker, add cleaned mutton, turmeric powder, salt and water. Cook them for 8 to 10 minutes based on the meat tenderness.
Mutton stock : After pressure cooking, strain the liquid. This stock can be used for other dishes like rasam or soup. Mutton thoran should be dry, not watery. So make sure to strain the stock completely.
Extra spice : If you want to make your thoran more spicy, add chopped or slit green chilli while tossing the mutton with coconut.
Mutton Thoran Recipe (Step by Step pictures)
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| Take mutton in a pressure cooker |
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| Add turmeric and salt |
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| Add water |
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| Cook till mutton is done |
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| Remove the mutton piece alone in a bowl |
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| This is the mutton stock, reserve this to make rasam (Recipe Soon) |
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| Take coconut in a mixer |
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| Add in cumin seeds |
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| Add in fennel seeds |
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| Add in cinnamon stick |
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| Add in cardamom pods |
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| Add in chilli powder |
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| in goes shallots |
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| Add in garlic |
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| grind them |
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| Heat oil in a wok |
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| Add in sliced shallots and curry leaves |
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| Saute for a min |
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| Add in cooked mutton pieces |
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| Saute them |
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| Add in coconut masala |
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| Season with salt |
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| Saute them for 8 to 10 mins |
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| Serve |
Expert Tips
- Use fresh and bone-in mutton pieces for rich flavour.
- When mutton is combined with coconut spice mix, keep the flame to low and stir frequently to avoid burning.
- For traditional and authentic taste, you can slow cook the thoran in an earthen clay pot.
- Frozen coconut or desiccated coconut can be substituted instead of fresh coconut.
- Drizzle a spoon of coconut oil at the end to give the authentic Kerala touch and it gives a rich aroma.
- When reheating the leftover thoran use a kadai or pan to retain the dryness.
Storage
Store the leftover mutton thoran in an airtight container. It stays good for 3 days in the refrigerator. Reheat in a pan by adding oil to retain the crispness.
Serving
Mutton thoran can be served as an accompaniment with hot rice, rasam rice, parotta, dosai, Kerala matta rice.
FAQ
1.Can I use other meat instead of mutton ?
Absolutely! Yes you can make a quick chicken or prawn thoran using this as a base and it also tastes delicious. You can adjust the quantity of spice and coconut based on your preference.
2.How do I make it more moist or juicy?
Add a few spoons of mutton stock from the pressure cooker when stir-frying. Don’t add too much otherwise it will turn soggy. Just add enough to make it moist.
3.Can I use lamb instead of mutton?
Yes you can make this thoran using lamb. Make sure to cook the lamb so tender and also lamb has a subtle flavour compared to mutton. So adjust the spices accordingly.
Variations
Prawn thoran : Prawn thoran recipe is so simple and can be easily prepared. Marinate the prawns with spices and grind the coconut. Then put everything together in a pan and cook for 5 to 10 minutes until it is nicely roasted and dry. It can be enjoyed with rice, dosai and idli.
Mutton thoran with vegetables : While traditional thoran recipes are mainly prepared only using vegetables, you can add chopped vegetables like potato, drumstick. Make sure to cook the vegetables completely.
Mutton varattiyathu : Mutton varattiyathu is a semi dry roast recipe from Kerala cuisine. The masalas are cooked until it is caramelized and the mutton is coated well with the thicker masala.
More Mutton Recipes
📖 Recipe Card
Mutton Thoran Recipe
Equipment
- Pressure cooker
- Blender
- Cooking pot
Ingredients
For Cooking mutton
- ½ kg Mutton / Lamb chopped into small pieces
- 1 tsp Turmeric Powder
- 2 cups Water
- Salt to taste
For Tempering
- 3 tbsp Coconut Oil
- 10 no Shallots / Sambar Onion peeled and sliced
- 2 sprig Curry leaves
For Grinding (Masala)
- 2 cup Fresh Coconut grated
- 1 tsp Cumin Seeds
- 2 tsp Fennel Seeds
- 2 inch Cinnamon
- 3 no Cardamom
- 2 tbsp Red Chilli Powder
- 4 no Shallots / Sambar Onion Peeled
- 5 cloves Garlic Peeled
Instructions
- Take mutton, salt, turmeric powder in a pressure cooker. Add in 2 cups of water and pressure cook it for 10 whistle, simmer for 10 mins, turn off the heat and let them steam go all by itself. Open the cooker, Now strain the mutton and stock. You can use the stock to make rasam.
- Ground together the ingredients given in the masala list in a mixer to a coarse mix without adding water. Set aside till use.
- Now heat coconut oil in a wok, add in shallots and curry leaves. Saute for a min. Add in cooked mutton and toss well. Add in the ground masala and toss well with the mutton. Season with salt and toss. Stir fry for 8 to 10 mins.
Nutrition
If you have any questions not covered in this post and if you need help, leave me a comment or mail me @[email protected] and I’ll help as soon as I can.
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sabari sankari
I tried this one with cauliflower n it was simply superb .. A gud recipe to note ..
Nasvin
Hi aarathi your recipes are awesome.I tried this one for today's lunch.It turned out very good .thanks for your recipe.
Nasvin
Hi aarathi your recipes are awesome.I tried this one for today's lunch.It turned out very good .thanks for your recipe.
Tulika
Can I use mustard oil or ghee/purified butter instead of coconut oil?
Aarthi
@Tulikayou can use ghee
Anto
Looks so delicious!!