Cabbage Chutney / Cabbage Pachadi

A piece of paper with recipes scribbled on has been lying in my night stand for years. It had this chutney recipe, mentioned by my sister in law years ago during one of my India trips. I had been skeptical to try cabbage in a chutney recipe all this time though everyone at home loves the vegetable. I got to try it recently as a variation since I have been making instant chutneys almost on a daily basis as the entire family is present for lunches and dinners now, thanks to Covid situation. I am making more and more south Indian style meals and this chutney was made one day for our lunch. I loved this chutney. The 'pronounced' cabbage smell is not present and no one could even guess what chutney it was. This south Indian style pachadi / chutney makes a great accompaniment to rice or even breakfast items. Below is the recipe for this quick and easy cabbage pachadi.

Ingredients:
1 tbsp. oil
1/2 tsp. mustard seeds
2 tsp. skinned black gram (urad dal)
1/4 tsp. cumin seeds
1/4 tsp. coriander seeds
6 dried red chilies (The quantity depends upon the heat of the chilies being used and so use with discretion.)
2 pinches of asafoetida powder
1/8 tsp. turmeric powder
3 cups finely chopped cabbage
1/2 tsp. sized tamarind ball
Salt to taste
Ingredients for tempering:
1/2 tsp. oil
1/4 tsp. mustard seeeds
1 sprig of curry leaves

Directions:
* Heat oil in a wide pan and add mustard seeds and black gram. When mustard seeds start to splutter and black gram starts to turn reddish, add cumin and coriander seeds. When the seeds start to turn a shade darker add red chilies, asafoetida and turmeric. Stir and add cabbage, tamarind and salt.
* Mix well once, lower the heat setting, cover and cook. Keep stirring intermittently and cook until the cabbage softens. Remove the pan from heat and let the cabbage mixture come to room temperature.

* Add the mixture to a blender and grind it to a slightly coarser mixture. Add a little water if it is hard to run the blender.

* Heat oil in a small pan and add mustard seeds. When they start to splutter add curry eaves and turn off the stove.
* Add this tempering to the chutney and mix well.
* Serve it along with rice and ghee or as an accompaniment to Indian breakfast dishes.
* Refrigerate the remaining chutney and use within a couple of days.

This post is an entry for Blogging Marathon with the theme 'Condiments'. Check the link to find out what other marathoners are cooking.

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Ghiveci

Ghiveci ~ pronounced as "gi-wetch" is primarily a rustic Romanian stew made with a medley of vegetables and so a preferred dish there during the period of Lent. It is on the similar lines of the French ratatouille though they taste different. Ghiveci can be made non vegetarian too by throwing in some chicken / meat. This dish is quite easy to prepare and very forgiving. It is slowly cooked in a pot by adding vegetables one after another keeping the cooking times of the different vegetables in mind. Whatever seasonal vegetables you have on hand can go into it. Onion, tomatoes, bell peppers, eggplants, zucchini and peas are the most commonly used vegetables in this mildly spiced dish. I saw a video where a Romanian woman cooked the dish just with onion, tomatoes, bell pepper, parsley and cooked rice with no spices at all.
In Romania, it is usually served with rice or mamaliga , a porridge made of yellow maize flour. It can be eaten along with bread / couscous too. Instead of eating ghiveci with cooked rice, rice can be added directly to the vegetable medley during the cooking to make it a one pot meal. Either washed and drained rice can be thrown in between the cooking process so that rice gets cooked along with the veggies or some cooked rice can be added to the dish directly at the final stages so that rice absorbs the flavors better. The final dish should look like a thick sambhar rice.
It seemed kind of a hotchpotch dish and was sure that this is not going to be my kind and tried it just for my husband and son. However surprisingly I liked it taking into account that it was not heavily spiced and I could finish off a bowl without complaining as an accompaniment to my rotis. Though true Romanians may wrinkle their noses at me for that latter part of my statement.

Recipe source: Here
Servings: 3 to 4
Ingredients:
1-2 tbsp oil (I used canola oil.)
1 onion, chopped
2 small carrots, peeled and sliced
1 small bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1/4 cup of peeled and cubed kohlrabi (optional)
1 garlic clove, finely minced
2 cups thinly sliced cabbage
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 cup water
2 small potatoes, peeled and cubed
A handful of frozen peas
1 eggplant, cubed (optional)
Salt to taste
1/2 to 1 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp thyme (I didn't use.)
Freshly cracked pepper to taste
2 tbsp finely minced parsley
1 tsp lemon juice

Method:
* Heat the oil in a large stewpot and add the chopped onion, carrots, and peppers. Sauté until onion turns translucent.

* Next add garlic, potatoes, cabbage and kohlrabi if using and stir. Saute for about 3 -4 minutes.

* Then add tomatoes, salt, pepper, paprika, thyme and water and bring the mixture to a boil.

* Cover and simmer until the potatoes turn almost tender.
* Now add eggplants, cover and simmer.

 

* Simmer for another 15 - 20 minutes so that flavors mingle and the vegetables turn soft.
* Add frozen peas, fresh herbs, and lemon juice. Cook for another five minutes and serve warm.

This is my post under "European Cuisine" theme for BM#36. Check here to know what other marathoners are cooking. 

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