Cabbage Kootu

My 177th recipe, “Cabbage Kootu”, a healthy and flavorful South Indian side made from cabbage and kadalai paruppu (chana dal). As I had mentioned in one of my previous posts, Cabbage was not on my favorites list for a long time. Only recently, I became a fan of cabbage since it is very easy to cook and due its has enormous health benefits. Just to name the most important one, cabbage being one among the Cruciferous vegetables, contains glucosinolates which in turn is converted into a number of chemicals which may have anticancer properties. Whenever I buy a head of cabbage, it would be large enough for myself and RK to complete in a day. So usually I turn one half into a wonderful cabbage poriyal (stir fry) and I always end up making a delicious and healthy kootu out of the other half. My MIL usually adds appalam to thicken the kootu which is a wonderful addition and I loved it. However in order to keep things simple I just skipped adding the appalam and instead added a coconut paste to amp up the flavor profile of this kootu. A perfect side to have with rasam / kara kuzhambu or even chapati 🙂

Cabbage Kootu

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Prep Time 15 mins

Cook Time 15 mins

Total Time 30 mins

Servings 3

Ingredients

  

• Chana Dal - 1/4 Cup
• Cabbage - 1/2 medium chopped
• Onion - 1/2 medium chopped
• Garlic - 4 cloves
• Tomato - 1/2 medium chopped
• Asafoetida - 1 small pinch
• Salt - 1/2 tsp adjust per taste
• Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
• Sambar powder - 1/4 tsp
• Water - as needed

To grind

• Grated Coconut - 3 Tbsp
• Jeera - 1/2 tsp
• Green Chilli - 1 small

To temper

• Oil - 1 Tbsp
• Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Broken Urad Dal - 1/2 tsp
• Jeera - 1/2 tsp
• Curry leaves - 1 sprig
• Dry red chilli - 1

Instructions

 

• First wash and soak the chana dal in water for atleast 15 mins. Drain the water from the soaked dal and add it to the pressure cooker.
  
   
• To the pressure cooker also add the chopped cabbage, onion, tomato, garlic, asafoetida, salt, turmeric and sambar powder. Add sufficient water (about 1 Cup). Mix everything together and pressure cook for 3 whistles or until the dal and cabbage are cooked through. Turn off the flame and wait until the pressure subsides.
  
   
• Meanwhile, add all ingredients mentioned under "To Grind" to a mixie/blender along with sufficient water and grind to a smooth paste.
  
   
• Once the pressure subsides, open the lid of the cooker and slightly mash the cabbage using a ladle. Add the ground paste to the cooked cabbage and mix well. Turn on the flame and let it continue to boil for about 5 mins until raw smell of the paste is gone. Turn off the flame.
  
   
  
   
• Heat oil in a separate pan and add the mustard seeds. Once it splutters, add the remaining ingredients listed under "To temper" in the given order. Once the urad dal turns golden brown, turn off the flame. Transfer the contents to the kootu and mix well.
  
   
• Serve hot as a side for rice / gravy or chapati.
  
  

Notes | FAQ

- If there is no water left after pressure cooking the cabbage, add little more water before adding the ground paste in step 4.
- Adjust the quantity of other ingredients based on the size of cabbage used.

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