South Indian Cabbage

My dad really likes this dish but I ignore  the friendly hints and don’t make it often because of the amount of oil used. 'Absence does make the heart grow fonder' but maybe making this dish once a year, in the middle of winter is a bit too harsh. Well here’s more or less the original recipe from Madhur Jaffrey’s World Vegetarian…

What you’ll need:

*1/4 cup oil

*Generous pinch of asafetida (this is not a Sri Lankan household must, so I always substitute 1-2 teaspoons chopped garlic)

*1 teaspoon whole brown mustard seeds

*1 teaspoon urad dal, chana dal or yellow split peas (I added 4 teaspoons of urad dhal - like the taste!)

*5-6 whole fenugreek seeds

*2-3 whole dried hot red chillies

*10 fresh curry leaves

*750g cabbage, core removed, and leaves shredded

*1 to 1¼ teaspoons salt

 

What to do:

Heat oil in wok or similar pan over medium heat. Add asafetida (if using) or add mustard seeds and dhal. When mustard seeds start popping, add fenugreek seeds and red chillies. Fry until dhal is reddened and chillies darken, then add curry leaves and chopped garlic, followed by the shredded cabbage. Add salt. Stir through. Cover and let cabbage wilt in it’s own steam, then taste for salt. Fry for a few minutes uncovered (to get rid of any excess moisture) and serve.