Cabbage Koottu (C'bge in dal and coconut gravy)

Cabbage koottu is a simple and tasty side dish for rice. Besides the cabbage, dal and coconut are the main ingredients. The only difference in the cabbage koottu when compared to other koottu recipe is the addition of asafoetida. In other koottu recipes, like the snake gourd variant there is no asafoetida though any one is free to experiment according to their taste.

This is one of my favorites and i get nostalgia about my childhood days in Valparai when i prepare this...if you ask me the reason, i really dont know...:-) sometimes it is 'just like that'

ingredients

cabbage - 500 gms
dal (toor or chana or moong) - 4 tbsp

coconut - 5 tbsp
cumin - 1/2 tsp
small onion - 4
green chilly - 2 or 3

turmeric - 1/3 tsp
asafoetida - 1/2 to 3/4 tsp

for the tempering


oil - 1 1/2 tsp

mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
curry leaves - 1 or 2  sprigs
whole red chilly - 2 or 3 (broken)

salt to taste

the method

Par boil the dal in a pan. Add the shredded cabbage, turmeric and salt and give a quick stir. Meanwhile grind the cumin, small onion, green chillies and coconut to a coarse paste using about 2 or 3 tbsp water. Add the coconut paste into the cabbage and stir. When almost done add the asafoetida and stir. Take care while adding the asafoetida because the pungency differs based on the brand. Add 1/2 tsp and taste the koottu and add the balance 1/4 spoon as'da only if need be. Turn off heat when the cabbage is done. Check salt.

Heat oil in another pan and add the mustard followed by curry leaves and broken red chillies. Pour the tempering over the cabbage, stir and cover it. Serve the cabbage koottu with rice and sambar or rasam or whatever you prefer.