CabbageThoran- Shredded Cabbage cooked with Coconut and Spices.

The first drop of rain hits the ground.. few more …many!…the fresh smell of the soil!...the dry ground quenches its thirst…a shower after a long long summer!..

We have rains, at last, in T.N :)..showers paving way to stagnant water pools, everywhere, floods...[Alas! We still continue to have power shutdown a couple of hours a day, the timings which get re-scheduled every month…bah!..:( ]

The smell of the fresh soil with the rain gets me back to those care free teen days, lazily curled up on a couch with a book, some favourite music flowing in the room, the mingled aroma of coconut oil, spices and vegetables that spreads and lingers the whole place.

.....on a note, back home I try hard to experience the same, but can’t simply be relaxed, wondering,..is amma still around in the kitchen? high heat? is the thoran burning?...and I rush to the stove :)…

Cabbage thoran is one such dish, mingled with memories..

and now, for the recipe,

Mix together:

Shredded cabbage –as thin and fine as possible- 3 cups
Freshly grated coconut- 1/4 cup, loosely filled
Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon
Shallots-4-5 –minced
Green Chilly - one small, sliced to thin round circles. (not more than a tsp, loosely filled)
Jeera powder-two fat pinches
Curry leaves-2 sprigs
Salt-to taste

To Temper:

Coconut oil- a tbsp
Mustard seeds and Urad dal-1/4tsp each

Method:

• Mix together the list of ingredients above. Let it stand for 10- 20 minutes.This is to help the spices seep in the raw, fine threads of the shredded cabbage.

• Heat coconut oil in a thick bottomed, wide kadai(Iron wok is the best option :))splutter mustard seeds, brown the urad dal.

• Immediately transfer the above vegetable mixture into the wok and mix well.The vegetable would have given out some water which would be enough at this stage.Close the pan with a lid.Keep the flame to the lowest and see to it that the lid doesn’t let out steam from the slowly cooking vegetable.For that real taste, it 'should' get cooked this way :)!.

• Open the lid once in every 3 minutes.Give a stir and sprinkle water if needed.Check salt and turn off the stove as soon as the cabbage is cooked just right (not too mushy).Let the thoran be a little moist and not too dry.

• Serve Cabbage Thoran warm with steamed rice and curry :)!

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