Cabbage & Green Peas Curry
Cabbage & Green Peas Curry is one of my favourites, easy to make dry curry that goes really well with any kind of Sambar/Rasam/Vathakuzhambu/Rasavaangi or Milagu kuzhambu (few varieties of South Indian gravies that are mixed with plain cooked rice and enjoyed with a vegetable side dish). It is often part of the menu in many weddings too. With very few basic Indian ingredients, you can make this curry in just 20-25 mins. Complement with a spicy pickle or Kollu Karuveppilai Podi and some hot steamed rice, your lazy weekend lunch will be ready in a jiffy. It’s simple, yet delicious.
Ingredients
Coconut oil – 2 tbsp
Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
Chana dhal – 1 tsp
Urad dhal – 2 tsp
Green chillies (finely chopped) – 2 tsp
Ginger (finely chopped) – 3 tsp
Curry leaves (finely chopped) – 2 tsp
Coriander leaves (finely chopped) – 2 tbsp
Asafoetida – 1/2 tsp
Cabbage (shredded finely) – 5 cups
Salt – 1/2 tsp (or to taste)
Sugar – 1/2 tsp (optional)
Green peas – 1 cup (see note 6)
Fresh coconut (grated) – 3 to 4 tbsp
Yield
Serves 4
Prep time
10 mins
Cook time
10 mins
Method
1) Heat a wide pan/kadai, add oil and heat up the oil. Once the oil is heated a bit, add mustard seeds and let it splutter. When the spluttering slows down, add chana dhal and urad dhal. Fry the dhals until golden.
2) Add green chillies, ginger, curry leaves and coriander leaves. Fry all these for a minute. Then add asafoetida and mix once. Immediately add the shredded cabbage, sugar and salt. Mix, cover the pan with a lid and cook in medium heat for 5 to 6 mins.
3) Then, open the lid and add green peas, mix and cover the pan again. Simmer and cook for 3 more mins. Then add grated coconut and mix thoroughly. Switch off the heat. Tasty Cabbage & Green Peas Curry is ready to serve.
Notes
- I prefer using coconut oil for most of my dry curries where fresh coconut is used, as it enhances the flavour of the curry. However, if you don’t have coconut oil, you can use any oil of your choice.
- Only use fresh coconut for this recipe, and not dessiccated coconut. You can also make it without coconut if you don’t have any or are not a fan of the flavour.
- Follow the same recipe to make dry curry using red/purple cabbage, beans, long beans, snake gourd, carrot, beetroot, flat green beans or any green vegetable.
- Cabbage can cause mild bloating and discomfort for people with sensitive stomach. Ginger and asafoetida help reduce this discomfort and aid digestion.
- Cabbage & Green Peas Curry tastes great when cabbage is just cooked enough and retains its crunch. Overcooking the vegetable will spoil the taste and look of the curry.
- I’ve used frozen green peas which is flash-steamed already, so it can be added at the end. If you are using fresh green peas, then add it along with the cabbage.
- Dishes cooked with vegetables like cabbage, cauliflower and broccoli become stale after a few hours. Refrigerate the left over curry and heat up in microwave oven before serving.
