Cabbage - Tomato Dal

Cabbage - Tomato Dal is a gravy dish. Dal is nice to have with almost all the main dishes. This is an easy and simple dish and all age group of people can njoy having this cabbage - tomato dal.

I have used tomatoes, cabbage and Moong dal.
Let us see some benefits of having " Garam Masala in our diet ".
Garam Masala is mixed spice powder. Coriander seeds, cumin seeds, cardamom, clove, fenugreek seeds, cinnamon, pepper pods, nutmeg and other spices are roasted slowly and then ground together to prepare home made garam masala powder.
Garam Masala helps to fight disease and build immunity. It helps to relieve pain and inflammation.
It slow down the aging process. It helps to lose weight. Garam Masala helps the food to digest easily and keep our body warm. It helps to lower the blood sugar level and detoxify the body. They also hep the bad breath away.
Let us see the recipe Now :
No Onion or No Garlic is used in this "Cabbage - Tomato Dal".

Ingredients :

Moong dal/Toor dal  : 1/2 Cup
Cabbage : 2 Cups
Green chilly : 2 to 3
Tomatoes : 2 to 3
Garam Masala Powder : 1/2 Teaspoon
Rasam Powder : 1 Teaspoon
Salt : As required
Oil : 1 Teaspoon
Ghee : 1 Teaspoon
Mustard seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Jeera/Cumin Seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Dry ginger powder : 1/4 Teaspoon
Curry Leaves : 6 to 8
Ingh/Asafoetida : A little
Coriander leaves : 1 Tablespoon

Method 

1. Wash and cut cabbage into small pieces. Wash and remove the seeds and cut tomatoes.
2. Wash and cut green chilly.

3. Wash and cook moong/toor dal in a pressure cooker and keep it aside.
4. Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Add oil, mustard seeds and jeera.
5. Let mustard seeds splutter. Add curry leaves and cut green chilly.
6. Add cut cabbage and fry it for a minute. Now add cut tomatoes and mix it well.

7. Add turmeric powder and a glass of water. Let the cabbage and tomato cook nicely till soft.

8. Add cooked moong dal and mix it well. Add salt and let it boil for a minute.

9. Add garam masala and rasam powder and mix it well and water if required.

10. Let it cook for 3 to 4 minutes.

11.Shift the curry to a serving dish. Add ghee and coriander leaves.
12. Serve it with the main dish you have prepared.

Note :

Pressure cooking the dal mixes well with cabbage and tomatoes. Adding any spice of your choice is optional. Adding more/less spice and oil is optional. Adding ghee is optional. Adding onions and garlic to the curry is optional.
Time : 25 Minutes
Serves : 3 to 4.

Cabbage Spicy Idli

Cabbage Spicy Idli is one of the special dish of Udupi people. It can be eaten/served for breakfast/snack or even for dinner.

We (being an Udupian) do prepare and stick to most of the traditional dishes very often. It does not mean we do not eat chats or North Indian dishes. But it is minimum I can say. Garam masala does not suit that hot weather and it dries out your body moisture. Garam Masala spices are strong and it dries out all the moisture in the body. You should either drink lots of water or use Kasori/Kachcha methi in your cooking to to retain the body moisture. May be people of yesteryears knew and ate what suits to their body according to that place they belong to.
What ever it is it has become a fashion and habit to have all the fast food eatables, even the kid fall as prey to this habit.
Coming back to "Cabbage Spicy Idli", it is prepared using Patrode dough". Patrode is one of the traditonal famous and lovable dish of South Canara and Malenadu people. Naturally it helps to keep our body warm during the rainy season. I had some patrode dough remaining in my fridge and made use of preparing " Cabbage Spicy Idli".
Patrode dough is a mixture of raw rice, coriander seeds, jeera/cumin seeds, red byadagi chilly, ingh/asafoetida, jaggey and tamarind.
Lets see some benefits of eating Tamarind in our diet.
Tamarind contain essential and beneficial chemical compounds, minerals, vitamins and dietary fiber.
It helps to reduce the bad cholesterol. It contain tartaric acid which gives sour taste to food and it contain antioxidant property which helps and protect our body away from harmful radicals. Tamarind is a good source of minerals like copper, potassium, calcium, zinc and magnesium. Potassium helps to control the heart rate and blood pressure and iron is essential for red blood cell production. It is rich in Vitamins like Vitamin A, folic acid, Vitamin C. It also help to reduce inflammation in the body and improve eye health. Tamarind helps to boost respiratory health and good skin conditions. Improve the digestive system and relieve pain. It helps to improve our immune system.
Lets see the recipe now :

Things Needed :

Patrode dough : 2 Cups
Cabbage : 2 Cups
Oil : 1 Teaspoon

Method :
1. Wash and cut cabbage into very thin pieces.

2. Put Patode Dough in a big bowl. Add cut cabbage and mix it well.

3. Greece idli plates with a spoon of oil.
4. Keep pressure cooker/idli cooker on the stove and put some water at the bottom. Let it heat.
5. Put a spoon of cabbage dough mixture in each place of a idli plate.
6. Arrange them and keep it in the idli/pressure cooker. Close the lid and cook for 20 to 25 minutes.

7. Open the lid and check whether Cabbage Spicy idli is well cooked by inserting a spoon edge.
8. Shift the idli to a serving bowl and serve with butter/Ghee and jaggery/chutney.

 Note : 

The mixture will not stick to the spoon edge if it is well cooked. (or you need to cook again).
 Adjust the sweet and chilly according to your wish.
Adding more/less jaggery is optional. Cut cabbage into small/very tiny pieces so that it cooks faster.
Do not put weight if you are using pressure cooker.
Time : 30 Minutes
Serves : 4 to 5  

Patrode Dough Recipe : ( for cabbage spicy idli).

Things Needed :
Raw Rice : 2 Cups
Methi/Fenugrik seeds : 1 Teaspoon
Urid Dal : 1 Tablespoon
Coconut : 2 to 3 Tablespoons
Jaggery : 2 to 3 Tablespoons
Red chilly : 4 to 5
Tamarind : 1 Marble size
Salt : As required
Coriander leaves : 2 Tablespoons
Jeera : 1/2 Teaspoon
Ingh / Asafoetida : A pinch
Turmeric powder : A pinch
Method :
Wash and soak rice, urid dal and methi seeds together for at least 2 hours. Grate coconut and grind rice, spices(coriander seeds, jeera, ingh, turmeric powder and tamarind all together), till a paste. Add jaggery and salt. Add only riqured water. (Idly dough consistency). Remove from the mixi jar. Your Cabbage Spicy Idli dough is ready to prepare cabbage idli. You can also use this dough to prepare big brinjal roast, capsicum rotti etc.
Note : You can use medium size rava instead of using raw rice. (Roast rava nicely and add it to the ground mixture. (Need to grind all the spices and coconut). You can also use Rice Rava instead of grinding rice.

Cabbage Pakoda (Cabbage Fritters)

Crave for Munching some fried things is more during winter and rainy season. Cold season has already started and the chill weather's wings spread every where and the craving of oily fried dishes are already started. This time it is Cabbage Pakoda/ fritters. Hot pakoda/fritters are always welcome with a cup of coffee or Tea. (chai)

I have used cabbage gratings instead of onions. Also used some spices which are available in the kitchen store. Not much of ingredients are needed any ways. Oil to fry, besan and rice flour, cut cabbage and some spices to increase the taste. So the pakodas are ready to serve.
Lets see some benefits of using cooking oil in our daily diet.
There are different varieties of cooking oil available in the market. Ground oil, Sun flower oil, corn oil, Olive oil etc etc.
Ground Oil. It is high content of mono and polyunsaturated fats. These help in lowering LDL " (bad cholesterol). It is a good source of Vitamin E and it acts as an anti oxidant by protecting the skin from acne or scars.
Sun flower Oil is considered healthy oil because of its poly unsaturated fat content. The presence of Omega -6 and Vitamin E act as an oxidant help the body cells in retaining water.
Olive oil can be used for salads and appetisers. Monounsaturated fatty acid like Omega 3 and it has the quality of anti inflammatory properties. It is full of Vitamins, minerals and proteins. Olive oil contains calcium and it helps to lower the bad cholesterol in the body.
Coconut oil contain anti oxidant properties and helps in preventing premature aging. It also helps in treating skin infections. Coconut oil helps to strengthens the immune system since it contain anti microbial properties, anti fungal and anti bacterial and anti properties. Coconut oil is also good for weight loss and good for digestion.
Cabbage Pakoda is easy to prepare and yummy to have with a cup of coffee/Tea/ Juice or as starter with soup.

Ingredients :

Cabbage : 1 Bowl (1/2 of small cabbage).
Rice flour : 1 Cup
Besan/Channa/Kadale flour : 1 Cup

Green chilly : 2
Red Chilly Powder : 1/2 Teaspoon
Jeera : 1/2 Teaspoon
Salt; as required
Curry Leaves : 8 to 10
Coriander Leaves : 2 Tablespoons
Ginger : an inch
Cooking Soda : a pinch
Water : required (just a little).
Cooking Oil to Fry :  1 to 1 1/2 cup

Method :

1. Wash and drain all water from cabbage. Cut it into thin pieces. Wash and remove the outer layer of ginger and wash again. Grate it and keep it aside. Wash and cut coriander leaves, curry leaves and cut them in to small and keep it aside.
2. Take a big bowl. Add rice flour, besan/channa flour, cut green chilly, cut cabbage, red chilly powder, jeera/cumin seeds, Cooking soda and salt.

3. Mix it nicely and add 2 tablespoons of hot oil. Mix it again and allow it to coll for 5 minutes. Mix it again.

4. Add required water little by little and prepare thick dough. (It should be thicker than chapati dough).

5. Keep oil on the fire and heat. Take a handful of dough and squeeze out pakodas between your fingers.. (Or take a small lemon size dough and make like a ball and fry).

6. Fry them on medium and low flame. So that it cooks nicely and gives crispiness to pakoda.
7. Fry on both side till they turn golden brown and remove from the oil.

8. Put them on a kitchen tissue so that extra oil will be absorbed by the kitchen tissue.

9. Repeat the same with remaining dough.
10. Serve Hot Cabbage Pakodas with any Chutney or Ketch up.

 Note : 

The consistency of Pakoda dough should be thick. or your pakoda mighty absorb more oil. Adding onions and garlic is optional. (I have not added). Adding maida is also optional. (I have not added). Adding more hot oil to the dry ingredients is optional. It might turn crispy but more oil is not at all necessary. Adding any spice is also optional.
Time : 30 minutes.
Serves : 4 to 5

Cabbage Fry

Cabbage Fry is an easy dish and even a fresher can try this curry. This cabbage curry goes well with chapatis, pooris, roti and plain rice. We can get cabbage any time of the year. It cooks fast and one of the healthy vegetable. Any type of cabbage can be used for this Cabbage Fry.               

Lets see some benefits of eating Cabbage.
Cabbage is a leafy vegetable and it contain Vitamin C and Vitamin A. It helps to control cholesterol. It is full of fiber and good for stomach ulcer, headache, obesity, skin disorders, jaundice, eye disorders, heart diseases and constipation. Cabbage contain antioxidant quality. It also contain anti-inflammatory properties. Cabbage is a rich source of beta-caroten properties and is good for Eye Health. Cabbage contain potassium and it helps in protecting people who suffering from blood pressure. It is good for people who wants to reduce their extra weight. Good for brain and bone health. Remember that steamed cabbage is most healthiest form of eating cabbage.
No onion No Garlic used in this curry.

Lets see the reciep :

Cabbage : 2 cups
Coriander seeds : 1 Tablespoon
Channa dal + Urid dal  : 2 Tablespoons (each 1 tablespoon).
Red chilly powder : 2 Teaspoons
Green chilly : 1
Mustard sees : 1 Teaspoon
Jeera /cumin seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Salt : Required
Curry leaves : 6 to 8
Coriander leaves : 2 Tablespoons
Coconut : 2 Tablespoons (optional).
Lemon : 1 Teaspoon

Method :

1. Dry roast channa dal, urid dal and coriander seeds. Dry grind them once they are cool.
2. Wash and cut cabbage into thin and keep it aside. Wash and cut green chilly.
3. Grate coconut and keep it aside.
4. Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Add oil and mustard sees. Let it splutter.

5. Add cumin/jeera and fry for 10 seconds. Add cut green chilly and curry leaves.
6. Add cut cabbage and fry nicely on low flame. Let it cook for 2 to 3 minutes.

7. Add turmeric powder and salt. Mix it well.
8.  Let all the moisture disappear from the vegetable. Add powdered spices.

9. Mix it well and fry for 10 seconds.

10.Add grated coconut and lemon extract. Add coriander leaves and mix it well.
11. Now shift the ready curry to a serving bowl.

12. Serve with the main dish as you wish to.
Note :
No need to add more oil. Do the whole process on the low flame. Do not allow it get burnt. Adding coconut is optional. You can also add ground nuts powder along with other spice.(channa dal, urid dal and coriander seeds). Adding onions or garlic is optional.You can add a tablespoon of rasam powder and a tablespoon of chutney powder (any brand) instead of home made fresh spice powder.
Time : 15 Minutes
Serves : 2 to 3.

Cabbage & Moth bean Dry Curry

Matki Kalu/Madke Kalu is one of the protein rich legume and popular in North Karnataka, Here I have used Matki Kalu, Alsande Kalu/Cow pea and Cabbage to prepare the dry curry. We in Kannada (Karnataka) call Cow pea as Alsande kalu. (legume).
I feel it is good to add some legumes with the vegetables we cook. It adds nutrition to the curry. This cabbage curry is dry curry and we can have them with chapati, poori, roti or even plain rice.

Lets see some benefits of having cabbage in our diet. 
Cabbage is loaded with powerful natural compounds. Cabbage improves our immunity. It is rich in antioxidants and Vitamin C. It helps and protects our cells from free radical damage and toxins. It is cholesterol free and helps in losing weight. It helps to speed up the healing. It is rich in Vitamin K and that helps in blood clotting. It is rich in folic acid and good for pregnant women. Cabbage is full of fiber and helps to prevent constipation. Eating cabbage will help to keep the digestive system in very good condition.

Please note that people who are facing thyroid problem and prostate problem must avoid eating cabbage as it hinders(makes it difficult or obstruct or slow down) absorption of iodine.

No Onion or Garlic is used in this : Cabbage & Moth bean Dry Curry".

Ingredients :

Cabbage : 1 Bowl (1/2 Cabbage of medium sized cabbage).
Moth Bean/ Matki kalu : 1/2 cup
Cow Pea : 1/2 Cup
Coconut : 1/2 Cup (fresh and grated)
Oil : 1 Tablespoon
Curry Leaves : 6 to 8
Coriander Leaves : 2 Tablespoons
Green chilly : 2
Methi seeds : 1/4 Teaspoon
Mustard Seeds: 1/2 Teaspoon
Urid dal: 1/2 Teaspoon
Jeera : 1/2 Teaspoon
Ingh : a pinch
Turmeric powder : a pinch
Salt : as required.

Method :

1. Wash and cook methi seeds, cow pea and moth bean in a pressure cooker. ( 5 minutes will do).

2. Wash and cut cabbage, green chilly, curry leaves and coriander leaves into thin.
3. Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Add oil. Let it get hot. Add mustard seeds, urid dal.
4. Let the mustard splutter. Add ingh, jeera, curry leaves and cut green chilly. Fry for 10 seconds.
5. Add cut cabbage and stir nicely and cook on low flame. (2 to 3 minutes). Do not add any water.

6. Now add cooked moth bean/matki kalu and cow pea/alasande kalu. (remove extra water if there is in the cooked bean).
7. Add turmeric powder, salt and mix it well. Let it cook till all the water absorb.

8. Add fresh coconut and coriander leaves and mix it nicely and shift the curry to a serving dish.

9. Serve as one of the side dish with other dishes or as you wish to.

Note :

Do not add water from the cooked beans. (If more use it as rasam or soup). Adding more chilly is optional. Adding onions and garlic is also optional. Adding coconut also optional. Adding more oil adds to the taste. You can also soak matki kalu/moth bean and cow pea/ alasande kalu for overnight and then cook. It enriches the taste. ( I did not soak it).
Time: 30 minutes
Serves : 4.