Cabbage Poriyal / Cabbage Fry

Cabbage Poriyal / Cabbage Fry

Cabbage being an excellent source of Vitamin C, is also a low calorie food. Also, cabbage is highly recommended for slowing down growing cancer cells.

Many people does not show interest in this curry. They even show their disappointment if its included during any special meal or parties. But if

the curry is made with good care, it can be made more attractive and tastier

too.

Ingredients
Cabbage - 4 cups nicely cut into thin slices.
Shredded coconut - 1/4 cup.
Mustard seeds - 2 tsp.
Jeera - 1 tsp
Urad dhal - 1/2 tbsp
Channa Dhal - 1/2 tbsp
Curry leaves - 4 or 5.
Coriander leaves - 1 tbsp.
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp.
Salt - To taste.
Green chilli Paste - 1 tsp.
Ginger - 1/2 tsp ( nicely grated)
Olive Oil - 1 tbsp.
Asafoetida / Hing - 1/2 tsp

Method
1. Cut the cabbage into thin slices or in any shape you desire.
2. Wash and drain the cut cabbage and keep it separately.
3. On the kadai, add olive oil and heat it. Add asafoetida/hing, mustard seeds, jeera into the heated oil.
4. When it sputter, add urad dal, channa dal, green chilli paste, curry leaves ( if you have) to the oil.
5. After sauting for a minute, add some turmeric powder into the oil itself.
6. Finally add the cabbage into the kadai. Mix it thoroughly and sprinkle some water into the kadai and close it.
7. Let the veggie mix cook for 3-4 minutes on a low flame.
8. Sprinkle some more water in the middle if its not fully cooked. But dont overcook cabbage, dont make it mashy like a halwa. This will ruin the taste and texture of the cabbage curry.
9. Add salt and grated ginger at the end and mix it. Let it remain in the stove for another minute.
10. Open the lid and see if you are able to see the cabbage slices separately. If so, then add the shredded coconut to the veggie mix and (As curry leaves are rare here, i added coriander leaves to the curry.)
12. Now the cabbage curry is ready to be served in a meal.

Variations
You can add fresh peas or grated carrots to the curry for better taste, for better colour. It will make it look richer on special occasions.

Venn Pongal

Venn Pongal

I can only think of the hot Venn Pongal which I got it on my hand during the Maargazhi Month when we went to sing "tirupaavai/tiruvempaavai" songs in one of our temples in my hometown Thanjavur. It was very hot, tasty even without ghee and cashewnuts. Early in the morning ( before 6 am!!!), we used to go there, sang and got these prasadams. Apart from that,I can only relish and enjoy the pongal which my grandma and mom made for us. My grandma was an expert in this and I remember her making this pongal even at her 86th age.

Ingredients
Rice - 1.5 Cups.
Moong dal / Payatham Paruppu/ Pesara Pappu - 3/4 th of a cup.
Asafoetida - 1 tsp.
Mustard Seeds - 2 tsp.
Jeera - 3 tbsp.
Black Pepper - 2 tsp.
Black Pepper crushed - 1 tbsp.
Curry Leaves - 4 or 5 ( if you have...)
Salt - 1 tbsp.
Ghee - 2 tbsp.
Olive Oil - 2 tbsp.
Cashew Nuts - 2 tbsp.

Method
1. On a thick bottomed pressure pan, add 1 tbsp of ghee first and heat it on a medium flame.
2. Then, add the washed Moong dal / Paruppu into the ghee and fry it till you get a mild aroma.
3. Immediately add the washed rice, 2 tbsp of jeera seeds, asafoetida little and enough salt to the vessel.
4. For 1.5 cup of rice, 3/4 th of a cup of Moong dal, add 5.5 cups of water to the pressure pan.
5. Mix everything thoroughly and let it cook for 4-5 whistles on medium flame.
6. Swtich it off and let it cools down completely.
7. In the meantime, in a small tadka pan, add the remaining 1 tbsp of ghee now.
8. Add 2 tbsp of oil too and heat it. When its heated add mustard seeds, remaining jeera seeds, black pepper seeds, crushed black pepper, curry leaves, cashew nuts slowly into the oil.
9. Saute everything for 1-2 minutes and after they sputter, switch off the stove.
10. Add the grated ginger into the tadka mix.
11. Open the pressure pan and see if the rice-dal mixture is cooked completely.
12. Add the tadka into the pongal and mix everything thoroughly.
13. Now the pongal is ready for Neivedhyam and also for your tiffin. It can be served with a good sides like tomato chutney, Brinjal Kotsu, coconut chutney, Plain Sambar.

Variations
You can add little more ghee in place of oil if you are making it for kids.
I prefer to add enough water to cook in the beginning itself. In that way, pongal is moist and texture of the pongal is not very hard to swallow. It tastes closer to temple pongal i feel.