Cabbage Fritters or Pakoras

AKA Cabbage Pakodi /Pakoda

Got introduced to these fritters during my MCA days when our neighbour made these and passed it to us. I was actually stunned to see the ingredient inside these pakoras was cabbage..Because those days we are only used to onion pakoras..Wanted to include this snack in my kitchen menu too..Since it is deep fried I haven't made it once or twice say in these 12-13years..

The other day specially made these to blog on my space..Honestly is this one unhinged snack - guilty of course..You are consuming the nature's most nutritious vegetable in not so healthy form..but once in a while you got to have a treat!!! so enjoy sparingly with portion control!!!

Ingredients:Cabbage - 2 Cups
Channa Dhal Pwdr- 1 Cup
Green Chillies - 2 (chopped)
Baking Soda - A pinch
Red chilly powder - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric Pwdr - A pinch
Chat masala Pdwr - 1/2 tsp ( for extra flavour)

A pinch of Amchur pwdr

Curry leaves - 8-10

Coriander leaves chopped - a few

Salt - to Taste

Enough Water

Oil for deep frying


Procedure:
1. Chop cabbage as shown in the pic and place it in a mixing bowl
2. Add the rest of the ingredients with water to make the batter thick enough to gather everything together. Adding excess water will make the Pakoras very oily.
3. Now drop small amounts of the mixed batter into the oil for deep frying.
Once the pakoras turn dark yellow or orange color strain them from oil onto a plate with issue paper to drain all the excess oil.
Arrange the Pakoras on a serving plate and enjoy with array of chutneys or sauces

Cabbage with Ground Coconut and Spices

---AKA Cabbage kobari Vepudu/ Cabbage Thenga Poriyal---

This dish is one among the first few in my after marriage culinary journey. Learnt it from an Aunt friend. No doubt I'm a big fan of this veggie.The ease in cooking and the pleasure in tasting makes this variety of cabbage preparation noticeable than ignored.

Shredded cabbage is cooked in a mixture of ground coconut, fennel seeds, garlic and our very own king of spices "green chilly". The aroma that emits when cabbage is cooking in this fashion is so enticing. I feel this is one the best methods to flavour up cabbage which otherwise has a raw pungent smell.

Makes a perfect side dish for roti along with any type of dhal or with plain rice and sambar.

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp Veg or sesame Oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 Tsp Urad Dhall (optional)
1/2 Tsp cumin seeds (optional)
A few curry leaves

1/2 Cabbage shredded
1/4 cup crated Coconut

To grind coarsely :

1/2 cup crated Coconut
1 Tbsp Fennel Seeds
4-5 Garlic cloves
4-5 Green Chillies


Method :
Grind the coconut mixture and keep it ready.
Heat oil in a non stick wide pan, allow mustard to splutter and then add urad dhall, after it browns a little add cumin, curry leaves and fry.

Now add the ground coconut mixture and fry till aroma is emitted.
Add cabbage and mix well till it is nicely coated with the coconut mixture.
Cover and steam roast till done.
Once the cabbage is cooked garnish with fresh grated coconut and remove from oven.
Serve with rice or roti and dhall.

Cabbage Pepper Tomato Curry

AKA Cabbage Miriyalu-Tamata Kura/Moottagose Milagu-Takali Kuttu
I am happy that I like this cancer fighting vegetable "Cabbage".
It is such a versatile vegetable that can be added in other soups as toppings, fried rice, made into a curry, added with some other ingredient to make a stir fry, used to make fritters, used in stews, pureed to make cabbage soup, make rolls and the list goes on.

Some south Indian cabbage dishes that I'm used to are, Cabbage with Coconut stir fry(Cabbaggee Kobbari), Cabbage with Spicy Pickle chutney(Cabbagee Karam), Cabbage with Channa Dhall (Cabbaggee Chennaga pappu), Cabbage Tomato(Cabbagee Tomata) whose one step up is the Cabbage Pepper Tomato Curry. Hope to blog some in the list in the near future.

Growing up never ate much when amma prepared any type of cabbage curry. It was always one of Aunt's and Granny's preparation of cabbage curry I preferred. This is one unique way Granny use to cook this vegetable. I have no clue how she thought of adding black pepper to a tomato based dish. But it works exemplary. Totally gives a new flavour to the regular Cabbage tomato curry.


Ingredients:
Cabbage - 1 half (chopped)
Oil - 1 tbsp
Mustard - 1/4 tsp
Onion - 1 small
Green Chillies - 3 slit
Curry leaves - 8
Chilly powder - 1 tsp
Black Pepper powder - 1 tsp
Tomatoes - 3-4 or Tomato Puree/Crushed Tomato - 1 cup
or Tomato Paste 3-4 Tbsp
Salt - to taste
Coriander leaves - a small bunch

Procedure:
Add oil in a heated Kadai/Skillet, allow mustard to splutter and then add cut onions, green chillies, curry leaves and saute till onions turn slightly brown.
Add radish, chilly powder, salt, and mix well to give an even coat of all ingredients.
Sprinkle some water and cover with lid to cook the cabbage in the steam for about 15- 20 minutes. Keep mixing periodically and sprinkle more water if required.
Once the cabbage is almost cooked add the tomato puree, mix well.
Cook for another 5-7 minutes or till cabbage absorbs the tomato flavour.
Now add generous amount of black pepper powder and mix.
Add finely chopped coriander leaves just before removing from heat.
Serve this with rice or roti,

Cabbage Fried Rice

As I mentioned in my previous post here is the recipe for Cabbage Fried Rice. I love cabbage in fried rice and noodles.. I do cook cabbage with tomatoes and pepper, with potatoes or just along with other vegies when I bake or stir fry. But most of all I enjoy cabbage in stir fry noodles or fried rice. You can add other vegies also in this fried rice. But I wanted the real flavour and taste of cabbage to dominate so I did not add any except for some chopped carrot. And off course added some scrambled egg too..You can omit this if you are strictly a vegan.

As I already posted we enjoyed this fried rice with the deep fried breaded shrimp.
Ingredients:
1 lb Cooked Basmati or Regular Rice(Ponni or Masoori Raw Rice)
2 cups chopped cabbage
1 cup choice of other vegies (Carrots, beans, etc..) chopped
2 Eggs Crambled(optional)
1 Tbsp Cooking oil
1 big Onion cut length wise
4 Green Chillies slit into half.
1 Tsp Ginger Garlic Paste
2 Tbsp Soy Sauce
1 Tbsp Teriyaki Sauce
1 Tbsp Chilli Garlic Sauce or plain Chilli Sauce
A pinch of China Salt
1/4 Tsp Black Pepper powder
Regular salt to taste
Finely chopped coriander leaves to garnish
Procedure:
In a Skillet, heat oil, add Onions, Chillies and fry till Onions are little cooked and yet crisp.
Add Ginger Garlic paste, fry a little.
Now add the Chopped Cabbage and other vegies(if using),some salt and cook for 5 mins or so, without losing the crispness of the cabbage and other vegies.
Now add scrambled egg if using.
Add the china salt(Ajinomoto) and all the sauces, saute.
Add the precooked rice, more salt, and mix well.
Add black pepper powder and mix again.
Garnish with Coriander leaves and remove from heat.