Name: Green Bean, Corn, and Coconut Stir-Fry (Thoren)
Cook time: 45 minutes
Total time: 45 minutes
Yield: Makes 6 servings (as part of a large meal)
Ingredients: 3/4 cup grated dried unsweetened coconut; 3/4 teaspoon ground cumin; 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander; 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper; 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric; 1 small fresh green chile, such as serrano, Thai, or jalapeño, slit lengthwise with stem end intact; 2 garlic cloves, crushed; 1/4 cup water; Salt; 2 tablespoons vegetable oil; 1 teaspoon brown mustard seeds; 1/8 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes; 15 to 20 fresh curry leaves (optional); 1 pound green beans, thinly sliced crosswise (1/4 inch); 3 ears corn, kernels cut from cobs

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Green Bean, Corn, and Coconut Stir-Fry (<em>Thoren</em>)John Kernick

I grew up on green beans thoren, and while I'll never tire of its crunchy deliciousness, I think adding corn makes it even better. And even though people don't often associate stir-fries with Indian cooking, this dish is a favorite in Kerala. It's a combination of diced vegetables and coconut, but the key is moistening the coconut so it can soak up the ground spices first. This recipe is part of our menu for Sadhya, a South Indian feast.

Cooks' Notes:

•Indian ingredients can be mail-ordered from Kalustyans.com.
•Chile can be removed during cooking when the thoren is spicy enough for your taste.

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