Cabbage has always been a vegetable that’s regularly cooked in  my mother`s home as its extremely nutritious and rich in vitamins and  minerals. As a kid,  I would hate the unpleasant aroma of cabbage in the process of getting cooked.  My grandmother loved making Cabbage Thoran by simply garnishing cooked cabbage with a dash of roughly pulsed green chillies and coconut. The fresh raw spice from the green chillies, swathed on the seemingly innocent cabbage, would zing it up to a whole new level.  I also make Cabbage Avial and sometimes simply season and cook cabbage and peas together. Still YUM! I was looking for a one pot meal to include cabbage and Mallika Badrinath`s version seemed to be on the same lines as my Pudina Rice Recipe. One can never ever go wrong with a mint-cilantro-green chilli base! I tweaked it by adding just cilantro!  And we have a winner!!!

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/4 Cups Basmati Rice.

2 1/2 Cups Water.

A few drops of ghee/ oil.

3 Cups Cabbage Diced.

1/2 Cup Frizen Peas.

1 Onion diced fine.

1 Green Chilli Sliced long.

A pinch of turmeric.

Salt as needed.

Ground Masala Base:

1/3 Cup Grated Coconut .

1 Tbsp Pottu Kadalai/ Chutney Dhal/ Cashew Nuts.

1 Tsp Poppy Seeds/ khus Khus.

3 Cloves.

1 Inch Piece Cinnamon.

1 Bunch Tender Coriander Leaves.

2 Green Chillies.

Seasoning:

3 Tbsp Oil/ Ghee.

1 Tsp Jeera.

1 Tsp Channa Dal.

1 Tsp Urad Dhal.

1/2 Tsp Mustard Seeds.

A few broken cashew nuts.

6-7 Torn Curry Leaves.

1/4 Tsp Hing.

1/4 Tsp Cardamom Powdered (Optional)

PREPARATION:

• Wash the rice until the water is clear and add the measured water, a drop of ghee,  and cook in the rice cooker. When done allow the rice to cool for some time.
• Grind all the ingredients that’s required for the masala base . Add the cashew/dalia, red chillies, whole spices, coconut and then finally the cilantro. Pulse to a dry rough mix.
• Take a large wok and add about 3 tbsp of oil. Temper with the above mentioned seasonings and add the diced onion and the sliced green chili.
• Add the pulsed masala mix and incorporate in to the kadai. Stir for a couple minutes.
• Add the shredded cabbage, peas, turmeric powder, a little salt and sprinkle a few drops of water. Cover and cook but take care that the cabbage never gets burnt.
• The cabbage has an unpleasant aroma when over cooked but since it cooks in the ground masala, this smell is completely morphed.
• When the cabbage is well cooked,  add the cooked and cooled rice.
• Mix the rice in to the flavored cabbage in the kadai and gently turn without breaking the rice grains.
• When well mixed, taste and adjust for salt.
• Delicious cabbage rice can be served with Carrot Raita and chips.