Thoran in Malayalam refers to dishes made with grated coconut. 
Different varieties of vegetables can be made into a thoran. It is served as an accompaniment to rice,kanji, chappatis or parotas.
Red gram or vanpayar or cow peas thoran is also called kanji payar as its heavenly with kanji.
Recipe:
Ingredients:
Red gram/cow peas/ vanpayar, 1 cup sorted and cleaned and soaked for a couple of hours or overnight
Cumin seeds, ½ tsp
Turmeric powder, ¼ tsp
Garlic cloves, 3
Green chilli, 2
Coconut grated, 1 cup
Shallots, 2 for the masala and 1 for the tadka
Salt, to taste
Curry leaves, a handful
Mustard seeds, 1/2 tsp
Dry red chilli, 1
Vegetable oil, 1 tsp
Method:
Cook the pre soaked vanpayar in the pressure cooker till done.
Crush the cumin seeds,garlic,green chillies and shallots coarsely. Lightly crush the grated coconut and mix this masala with the cooked vanpayar.
Add turmeric and salt to taste and let the thoran cook on low heat till the water evaporates.
Take care not to overcook the gram and mash it.
Heat oil in a small pan. Splutter mustard seeds, add the sliced shallot, dry red chilli, curry leaves and pour over the cooked vanpayar. Mix lightly and serve with hot rice or kanji.
– Courtesy Annie Alexander