Cabbage Pappu

This is yet another traditional Andhra dish. Easy to prepare and goes well with rice, roti, and dosa.

Preparation and cooking time : 20 mins

Ingredients

Cabbage : 1/4 Kg, chop into required size pieces
Toor dal : 1 big cup
Tomato : 1 big, finely sliced
Green and dry red chillis : as per taste
Onion : 1 small, finely sliced
Mustard seeds : 1 teaspoon
Cumin seeds : 1/4 teaspoon
Curry leaves : 1 twig
Salt : as per taste
Garlic : 3 flakes, roughly mashed
Turmeric powder : 1 big pinch
Oil : 2 tabelspoons

1. Cook dal, cabbage, tomato, turmeric powder, green chillis together in a pressure cooker.
2. Heat oil in a heavy bottom pan. Add mustard seeds and let them splutter.
3. Add curry leaves, cumin seeds, dry red chillis and saute for few seconds.
4. Add sliced onion, mashes garlic flakes and saute till they turn translucent.
5. Add the cooked dal, salt to taste and required amount of water. Bring to boil and cook on medium flame till you get required consistency.
6. Remove from heat and serve hot with rice, roti, or dosa.

Cabbage - Capsicum Curry

Cabbage is a low-calorie vegetable and can be used extensively by people who want to go on diet. This is one such dish and goes well with rice and rotis.

Preparation and cooking time : 25 minutes

Ingredients

Cabbage : 1, small, finely chopped
Capsicum : 1, small, chop to desired size
Mustard seeds : ½ tablespoon
Cumin seeds : ¼ tablespoon
Hing : 1 pinch
Curry leaves : 1 twig
Onions : 1, finely chopped
Green chillis : 3
Dry red chillis : 2 (Optional)
Chilli powder : 1 tablespoon (Optional)
Tomato : 1, small (Optional)
Turmeric : 1 pinch
Salt : To taste
Oil : 2-3 tablespoons


1. Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds and let them splutter. Add cumin seeds, hing, curry leaves, onions and saute till onions become translucent.
2. Add turmeric powder and saute for few seconds. Add tomatoes and saute till they are mashed.
3. Add capsicum and saute till they are wilted.
4. Add cabbage and salt to taste.
5. Cover with a lid and allow to cook on low heat. Water should all dry and cabbage softly cooked.
6. Add chilli powder, mix well and keep on heat for a minute.
7. Remove from heat and garnish with coriander.

Note : I used red pepper/ capsicum in preparing this dish to add colour. But this red pepper is a bit sweet in taste than yellow and green peppers. So you may choose whether to use whole capsicum or not for the dish.

Benefits of cabbage : Cabbage is an excellent source of Vitamin C. It also contains significant amounts of glutamine, an amino acid, which has anti-inflammatory properties. It is also used in the treatment of recurrent respiratory papillomatosis.

Benefits of capsicum/ chilli pepper : Capsicum is used in medications as a circulatory stimulant and pain reliever. The plants have also been used as folk remedies for dropsy, colic, diarrhea, asthma, arthritis, muscle cramps, and toothache.