Glossary / Lexicon

Glossary T

The food glossary +++ 'Tips: How to reheat focaccia', 'Tinabal', 'Takoyaki'

The Glorious Food Glossary tells you everything important about the world of food. The Food Glosssary is all about different kinds of food from all over the world and how they are prepared and what their main ingredients are.

Tokwa is a Filipino term that refers to firm /pressed soy bean curd. In the Philippines, Tokwa is famous for being fried and mix with "cubed and boiled baboy"(pig meat or pig ears) called Tokwa't Baboy.

Tokwa is a good Substitute for meat for a complete vegetarian dish.

Below is a Picture of raw Tokwa which can be found in almost all wet markets (Palengke) in the Philippines and most big supermarkets selling foodstuffs.

Thenga Pachadi refers to a dish from Kerala, India which is Kerala's version of North Indian Raita. Thenga is the Malayalam word for Coconut and this version is made from freshly grated Coconut meat.

Pachadi is a traditional South Indian side dish made of different kinds of fresh vegetables, Yogurt, Coconut, green or red Chilies sauted and garnished in coconut oil with fried Kadugu (mustard seeds), Inji (Ginger) and of course and Curry leaves. It is usually served as an accompaniment for rice as a side dish or accompaniment for any meal or for snacks like Idli, Dosa, Bonda and others. Pachadi can be prepared with many type of vegetables and even fruit such as Pineapple and Mango.

Pachadi is also called Pacha in South India.

Below is a picture of Thenga Pachadi prepared as accompaniment for lunch meal in Allepey, a district in Kerala

Seen clearly are the kadugu (black mustard seeds) and the swimming Curry Leaves. I love this side dish!

Thoran is a dry vegetable curry from Kerala made from whatever fresh vegetables are available around, suchs as snake beans, unripe jack fruit , Ladies fingers, Cabbage, Green Papaya, Spinach and other vegetable or with one or more finely grated or chopped vegetables, such as Cabbage and Carrots stir-fried with grated coconut meat.

Thoran is one of the traditional dishes for Onam Sadya. Any Sadya in Kerala is incomplete without the Thoran, especially the Cabbage Thoran.

In cooking Thoran, the vegetables are sliced into very small pieces (Snake beans, Ladies Fingers and Beans) or grated (Papaya and Carrots, for example) and stir-fried with small amount of coconut oil with slices of chilies, onions, grated fresh coconut and spices, such as Mustard seeds (Kadugu), and Cumin until it is completely dry and of course Curry Leaves .

Grated coconut, chilies, garlic and ginger which are sometimes added are grinded together, Kadugu and Curry leaves are fried until Kadugu popped up, then the finely cut, chopped or grated vegetables and the mixture of ground coconut, chilies, Cumin, garlic and ginger are added.

This is one of the easiest dishes and one of my favorite dishes which I have learned to cook from Kerala. I was able to cook using Okra and French Beans when I was in the Philippines and have still the fried Curry Leaves I brought home from Allepey and I am so happy about the result. If i can purchase all the ingredients now that I am back in Germany, I can cook a good Thoran and I will be transformed back to Allepey.

Please see related articles about Thoran in the Glossary using different kinds of vegetables, as in Cabbage and Carrot Thoran , Papaya Thoran, Cheera Thoran, and many more.

Below is a picture of Cabbage Thoran, one of the many Thoran dishes which are prepared in Kerala, India

Below is a special Thoran served during the birthday celebration of one of my "cousins" in Allepey, Kerala, India. It is called Mixed Cabbage Thoran, made from finely grated Cabbage, Carrots and Yellow Cherupayaru Parippu (split yellow Mung Dal/Beans)

Thakkali Mezhukkupuratti is one of the simple dish from Kerala which is a tomato stir-fry, made from slices of fresh and tender tomatoes cooked with slices of red onions, green chili (Koda Mulaku) and spices such as Kadugu (black mustard seeds) and the Curry Leaves .

Thakkali is the Malayalam word for Tomato

Mezukkupuratti refers to stir-fry dishes/foods in Kerala. Mezhukkupuratti is a curry made up of stir-fried vegetables . It is best served with rice and curd or any chutney.

This is one of the super delicious dishes which my family friend in Allepey in Kerala, India cooks when budget for meat and other vegetables are already not enough. Tomatoes are cheap and yet she can make it a tasty dish for her family.

Thenga Chammanthi is Coconut Chutney and also refers to one of the many kinds of Chutneys in Kerala which is made from fresh grated Thenga (Coconut meat) grinded with other ingredients, such as Inji (ginger), Tamarind , Chumannulli (shallots/pearl onions), Kanthari Mulaku (bird’s eye chillies), salt until it turns into a paste, then Kadugu (black mustard seeds) and Curry leaves are added.

Thenga Chammanthi is often served with with Idli, Chappati/Roti and Dosa in Kerala.

Here is my "adopted Mom" in Allepey, Kerala, India grinding Thenga and spices in the traditional grinders used to make Chammathi called Ammikallu (Please see related article on Ammikallu)