Purple cabbage sabzi

I had chanced upon this purple cabbage in the marjket. I got it as I wanted to taste it. I shredded as small part of it & ate it raw with some poha which has been mixed with chutni powder & til oil & some finely chopped raw capsicum & grated carrot.This was my Ekadashi fasting recipe.It was fresh & crunchy.

Next I googled for a sabzi recipe using purple cabbage...its also called red cabbage...don't know why. Its not red at all. Though I think after cooking , it does turn red or rather pink as can be viewed in the snaps.

I came across this easy recipe which is sans coconut. I added green chillies to it &  added 1/ 3 cup water in installments to tone down the crunchiness !

Ingredients : 250 gm shredded purple cabbage, 1/ 4 tsp mustard seeds, 1/4 tsp urad dal, 1 byadgi mirchi broken into 2-3 pieces,1-2 green chillies roughly chopped,8-10 curry leaves, 1/4 tsp hing, 1/4 tsp sesame seeds,1 tbsp oil, salt to taste.

Method : Heat oil in a kadahi. Add mustard seeds.After they pop up, add urad dal. Once urad dal turn golden brown , add the broken pieces of byadgi mirchi & curry leaves. Fry them for a few seconds. Add shredded purple cabbage & chopped green chillies. Give all ingredients a good stir by the ladle.Add 1/ 4 cup water. Mix all ingredients again. Let it cook for 5-8 minutes. Add salt to taste. Mix all ingredients again so that salt is nicely mixed up. Add remaining water. Again, give a good stir. Cook for 5-6 minutes or till almost no water is left in kadahi. Put off gas.

Toast sesame seeds in another kadahi till they start spluttering up. Alternatively  toast them in microwave for thirty seconds. Put off the microwave. Again toast them for another thirty seconds.

Garnish purple cabbage side dish with toasted sesame seeds. Serve as side dish for rotis and or rice.

My sabzi was not so crunchy as I wanted it to be softer .Hence, I had added water. It was a little salty. So I added, juice of a quarter of a lemon & then it was good.

Coconut free Veg Kurma

I made veg kurma with coconut earlier.I wanted to try out a recipe sans coconut.Hence, this recipe.

Ingredients :

For sabzi : 3/4- 1 cup cauliflower florets,1/4 cup beans stringed & chopped into 1/2 " pieces, 1/4 cup carrot peeled & chopped into 1/2 " pieces,1/4 cup capsicum roughly chopped,1/4 cup green peas,2 tsp oil,1/4 tsp haldi,1/2 tsp cumin,1 /2 tsp garam masala powder,salt to taste.

For gravy : 2 medium tomatoes roughly chopped,1 onion roughly chopped,1/2 carrot peeled & roughly chopped( optional ) , 2-3 green chillies, 1/2 ' ginger finely chopped,1 tbsp dalia or daria dal or roasted chana dal & 4 cashews,1 -2 tbsp dahi( optional ) , 1/2 tsp flaxseed meal ( optional )

Method : Cauliflower is supposedly ,the vegetable that is loaded with pesticides.So ,I have started boiling the florets in water, to which a pinch of salt & turmeric has been added.After one boil,the florets can be used for cooking.Keep aside the  boiled florets .

Pressure cook beans,carrots & peas .Pressure cook tomatoes & onion as well.Keep aside.

Powder dalia & cashews.Add finely chopped green chillies & ginger.Add pressure cooked tomatoes,onions & just half a carrot ( optional ) which as been pressure cooked to the dalia cashew mixture.Blend all together in mixer.Keep aside.

In a pan or kadhai take oil.Heat it.Add cumin.When they splutter,add chopped capsicum.Add haldi.Mix.Add cauliflower florets.Add salt.Let it cook for five minutes.Add salt.Mix nicely.Add pressure cooked veggie pieces...beans,carrots & peas.Mix nicely.Now add the gravy that is tomato onion dalia cashew mix to the kadahi.Mix nicely.If it is too thick,add water.Add garam masala powder .Bring it to a boil.Put off gas.Serve with chapatis and or rice.

The gravy turns out pretty thick.The gravy has a creamy texture perhaps due to cashews.Though I used 3 green chillies,it was not spicy at all.Those who want more spicier versions can add more chillies and ginger or any spice which they prefer.

Another method : Take oil in a kadhai.Heat it up.Add cumin seeds.Let the cumin seeds splutter.Add onion, green chillies & ginger to mixer & make a coarse paste.Put this coarse paste in kadhai.Shallow fry this paste till raw smell of onions disappears.Make a coarse paste of tomatoes & carrots & add it to the kadhai.Mix nicely.Cook till raw smell of tomatoes disappears. Add salt. Add chopped potatoes,capsicum , partially boiled florets ,carrots , beans & peas. Mix .Add haldi.Mix again.Let it cook.

Powder dalia & cashews in mixer & add to the kadhai.Mix with all vegetables.Add half a teaspoon of flaxseed meal ( optional ) as it is good fat.Mix nicely. Add 1 tbsp of yoghurt ( optional ) to the kadhai & mix. Add garam masala powder. Now transfer the contents of kadhai into a small vessel which can fit into the pressure cooker.Add 1/4 to 1/3 cup water.Mix nicely.

Pressure cook for 2 whistles.Slow cook in pressure cooker for 10 minutes.Put off gas.Let cooker cool.Remove lid.Veg kurma can be served as a side dish for chapatis and even as an accompaniment for rice.