Cabbage Curry - Andhra Style

Unlike today, when we get all kinds of veggies throughout the year, cabbage was a winter veggie in my mother's kitchen. Maa used to make the cabbage curry with machher matha on special occasions and other days it was simple curry with green peas and jeera phoron.

I vaguely remember having a special type of cabbage dish at my paternal aunt's place, chunks of cabbage cut and dipped in egg batter, fried, and then made into curry. It was jhol instead of tarkari. But frankly, I don't remember the taste. Maybe I will try it someday to recreate the dish.

But today it is the different cabbage curry that I tried. These days  I am having this curry too often at the office canteen and in spite of the fact that it was way too hot for me, I liked the curry. My version is not hot at all. In fact, these days all the dishes I cook is way too mild. I do this for my lil A, so that she can have the same food as we do. She never eats anything special that I cook for her, it have to be our food.


Ingredients

Cabbage - Thinly cut, washed and drained
Chana dal - 1 tablespoon, washed and soaked for 15 miutes
Onion -1 medium, thinly sliced
Ginger paste - 1 teaspoon
Mustard seeds - 1 teaspoon
Cumin seeds - 1 teaspoon
Red chili - 1
Oil- 1 tablespoon
Ghee - 1 teaspoon
Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Cumin powder - 1 teaspoon
Sugar - 1/2 teaspoon
Salt to taste

Cut the cabbage in thin small pieces, wash and drain.

Heat oil in a pan and add the red chilli to it. Temper it with the mustard seeds. As soon as the mustard seeds splutter, add the cumin seeds and stir. Add the onions to it and stir it for 2-3 minutes.

When the onions starts to turn pinkish brown, add the chhana dal and stir for about 3 minutes.

Add the cabbage to it. Add turmeric, cumin powder to it and mix well. Add the sugar and salt and give it another mix.

Cover the pan and cook in low to medium flame for 10 to 12 minutes. The cabbage releases a lot of water and turns soft. At this point, stir it well. If required ( if it seems to dry) add 1-2 tablespoon of water. Cover and cook for another 3- 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and add the ghee. Mix well and keep it covered for couple of extra minutes.

Your cabbage curry is ready to go with white steamed rice.