South Indian cabbage poriyal, with peas

I occasionally like reconfiguring traditional recipes and turning them into something new while maintaining the old flavours. In this case, I changed the traditional cabbage poriyal, usually made with green cabbage, to one where I used purple cabbage. The flavours are very similar, with the purple cabbage having a slightly deeper flavour but definitely a pop of colour.

I love this straightforward recipe. I tend to leave the cabbage crunchy, not overcooked and mushy, and the spices add a pop of flavour. With the beautiful colour of the purple cabbage, this dish stands out on the table. I also added peas, not in the original recipe, because I love them. They add a contrasting colour to the dish and a touch of creaminess to the dish. You can also use Savoy cabbage or Napa cabbage instead of purple cabbage for this dish with wonderful results.

This is one of the first cookbooks I bought. I have cooked most of the recipes from cover to cover, and I loved the recipes and flavours enough to purchase all of Chandra Padmanabhan’s other cookbooks. Let’s say this series is my favourite for cooking traditional South Indian vegetarian cuisine.

For more recipes from this cookbook, click here.

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon urad dal

1 teaspoon chana dal or yellow split peas

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 teaspoon black mustard seeds

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 dried whole red chilli

1/2 teaspoon asafetida

10 curry leaves

2 fresh green chillies slit down the side lengthwise

1 lb (450 g or 4 cups) green cabbage, finely chopped

1/2 cup green peas, fresh or frozen and defrosted

2 tablespoons unsweetened dried shredded coconut

1/2 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste

Heat a large saucepan or wok over medium-high heat. When hot, add the olive oil. Wait until the oil is hot, and add the dals, brown mustard seeds, cumin seeds, dried red chilli, curry leaves, and asafetida, preferably in that order.

As soon as the mustard seeds begin to pop, add the green chillies and stir for a few seconds, less than a minute, or as little as a few seconds. Now stir in the cabbage and green peas. Turn the heat to medium-low, and cook until the cabbage is just slightly tender about 6-8 minutes. I like to leave the cabbage crunchy, not mushy. When done, add the salt and toss well.

Remove from heat. Serve immediately in a bowl or deep dish with the coconut sprinkled.