Cabbage Kootu

The infamous Cabbage Kootu is finally here. I don’t think any blogger ever wrote how much she hated the dish that she was blogging about but I am going to do just that. However hard I try I just cannot wax eloquent about Cabbage Kootu. I cannot tell you how flavourful, lip-smacking and yummy it is. I just can’t. Honest Jayanthi like Honest Raj. That’s because I am not crazy about Kootus in general. I do enjoy a few like the Bottle Gourd Kootu but I mostly avoid other Kootus. Nothing wrong about Kootus (I don’t want to offend the Kootu lovers), it’s just me. This Cabbage Kootu is a standard feature in our Saturday menu and sometimes on other days as well. We’ve made it so often that it has very quickly climbed to number 1 on my hate-list. Now this Cabbage Kootu tastes like a good Kootu should – smooth, warm, fresh and boring. So don’t go by my view here, by all means try the recipe if you like Cabbage Kootu. It will turn out well.

“So if you don’t like it why do you make it so often and then pain us with your dreary stories? “, you may ask. Go back to my profile and read carefully. I say J-O-I-N-T Family. You know Joint family? It’s a very complicated joint, this joint. You cannot just go in and cook what you want (Deiva kutham - blasphemy), you may suggest ideas but mostly may not be approved, you can however gleefully agree to the menu being put forth and chop onions, tomatoes, grate coconut, peel garlic, wash, wipe etc. You may get a free hand occasionally and just when you think you’ve got the perfect meal planned, they’d be ordering take-out. Yeah, it happens, all the time.

Prep time: 15 mins
Cooking time: 20-30 mins
Serves: 5-6

Ingredients

Cabbage – 1 medium sized chopped fine
Moong dal/Paasi Paruppu – 1 cup
Onion – 1 large chopped fine
Tomato – 1 large chopped fine
Garlic – 4 cloves peeled (optional)
Asafoetida – a pinch
Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
Jeera/Cumin seeds – 1 tsp
Turmeric powder – ½ tsp
Red chilli powder – 1 tbsp
Grated Coconut – 5 tbsp
Salt to taste
Oil – 2 tbsp

Method

1.      Rinse the dal well in 2-3 changes of water till the water runs clear. In a pressure cooker, add the dal, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, asafoetida and whole garlic cloves along with sufficient water. Pressure cook for 2 whistles or until the dal is cooked through and soft.

2.      In a kadai/skillet, add oil and when hot drop in the mustard seeds and let splutter. Then throw in the cumin seeds. Add the onions and sauté till translucent. Then add the tomatoes and let cook for about 2 minutes till soft. Then add the chopped cabbage and mix well. Cook covered for 10-15 minutes till the cabbage is tender.

3.      Empty the dal mixture from the pressure cooker onto the cooked cabbage. Mix well. Add salt. Mix well. Let simmer for about 3-4 minutes uncovered for the flavours to blend and the kootu to thicken.

4.      Once the kootu has thickened nicely, add the grated coconut and mix well. Simmer for another 1 minute and switch off. Serve hot with rice.