Cabbage koottu - supreme comfort food

Last night felt like a "home" food night - classic south indian, like my mum makes. Since we didn't get a chance to do our grocery trips this last weekend, I started poking around in the fridge to find something I could work with. A cabbage! Yay! I love cutting cabbage! *so* much of fun :)

Cabbage koottu was always a favorite growing up, about on par with onion sambar and mor kozhambu. I love the funny (almost stinky!) smell of cabbage cooking - very nostalgic. Ok, so cabbage koottu it was going to be. I also found some baby brinjals and dutch potatoes that I could work with. I poke around and found this posting on Indira's blog, figured I could rework it a little bit! Thanks, Indira :)

Cabbage Koottu

Servings: 4

3/4 medium green cabbage - chopped into 1"-2" long shreds

1 cup cooked tual daal

2 T channa dal - boiled till cooked (but not mushy)

1 small ball of tamarind

salt

Seasoning:

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1 t sesame oil

1 t mustard

1 t urad daal

2 red chillies

1/2 t asafoetida

7-8 curry leaves

Masala:

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1.5 T coriander seeds

2 red chillies

2 T grated coconut

Garnish:

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Chopped cilantro

a few fresh pomegranate seeds

Roast the masala ingredients and grind to a coarse powder.

Soak the tamarind in 1/2 cup of hot water till the juices can be completely extracted. Squeeze out the tamarind and save the water.

Heat the oil in a wok and add the seasoning.

Once the mustard sputters, add the tamarind water and turmeric.

Once the water boils, add the cabbage and cook covered for 7-8 minutes.

Add the cooked channa daal and stir for a couple of minutes.

Now, toss in the tuar daal along with the masala and salt and simmer for about 5 minutes just so the flavors can blend.

Garnish with cilantro and pomegranate seeds (I've never tried these before - the sweet crunchiness was a perfect complement to the tart and spice of the koottu).

Baby Brinjals and Potato curry

Servings: 4

7-8 baby brinjals

5 dutch potatoes

1 t sesame oil

1 t cumin seeds

1/2 t turmeric

1.5 T sambar powder

salt

Chop the potatoes into long pieces (4 per potato). Cut off the stems of the brinjals and make a plus cut at the tops (just like for stuffed brinjals).

In a wide skillet, heat the oil and toss in the cumin seeds.

Once browned, add the potatoes and sprinkle some water. Cook covered for about 6-7 minutes. I liked the idea of roasting the potatoes instead of boiling them just so they could be more crispy.

Once the potatoes are parboiled, add the brinjals along with the sambar powder, turmeric and salt. Cook covered for about 6-8 minutes till both the potatoes and brinjals are done and have absorbed the spices. You could optionally simmer for another minute (uncovered) in case any water needs to evaporate.

Simple, yet delicious - seems like eggplant behaves best when left to its own devices :)