Description

Cabbage kootu with a simple coconut spice paste to make it delicious and healthy. Perfect with rice and rasam.

Scale

Ingredients

4 cups cabbage, chopped fine
1/4 cup yellow moong dal
1/4 cup chana dal
1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
A few curry leaves

For roasting and grinding

1 teaspoon oil
1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/4 teaspoon coriander seeds (optional)
1/4 cup sliced shallots (chinna vengayam, ulli) or onions
2 green chillies (adjust to taste)
1 small tomato, cubed
1/2 cup grated coconut, thawed if frozen

For tempering:

2 teaspoons oil
1/4 teaspoons mustard seeds
4 shallots, sliced thin
2 dried red chillies
A pinch of hing / asafoetida

Instructions

Wash and drain 1/4 cup yellow moong dal and 1/4 cup chana dal together
Add 3 cups of water and pressure cook for 15 minutes (2 whistles)
Set aside and let the pressure release naturally
In the meantime, place 4 cups of chopped cabbage in a pan and add 1/4 cups of water
Cook on low heat until the cabbage is half cooked
Remove from heat and set aside
In a pan, heat 1 tablespoon oil and add 1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds and 1/4 teaspoon coriander seeds (if using)
Let them brown a bit and then add 1/4 cup sliced shallots (or onions) and 2 chopped green chillies
Saute until golden brown
Then add 1 small tomato cubed and sprinkle some water
Cook until the tomato is soft
Turn off the heat and add 1/2 cup grated coconut
Mix everything well and cool completely
Grind with water to a coarse paste and set aside
On low flame, return the cabbage back to the stove and add 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder and a few curry leaves along with salt
Mix well and add the cooked dal
Top this up with the roasted and ground coconut spice paste
Add some water if the consistency is too thick
Bring to boil and turn off heat
In a pan, heat 2 teaspoons oil for tempering
Add 1/4 teaspoons mustard seeds and when they pop, add the sliced shallots and red chillies along with the hing
Fry until the shallots are golden brown
Dunk into the kootu and mix well
Cabbage kootu is ready!

Notes

It’s important to make sure the cabbage doesn’t cook to a mush so when you cook it, just do it halfway and leave a bit of bite in it

I use a mix of two dal – chana dal and moong dal – because I like my kootu to have some texture. You can definitely choose one over the other. Remember that moong dal will cook to a mush and chana dal will be soft yet whole so go with what you prefer

Adjust the amount of chilli to your taste. A blend of green chilli (in the coconut paste) and red chilli (in the tempering) tastes fabulous

Serve cabbage kootu with steamed white rice and a dollop of ghee. This is also a great dish to feed your babies and toddlers with adjusted spice levels

Temper your cabbage kootu in ghee for an extra special flavour. I normally use coconut oil which we love!

Keywords: cabbage kootu