Cabbage Moong dal Fry

I haven't been cooking for the past 4 days..I made a huge pan of sambar on Sunday and 've been eating it with rice and omlet/crisps/papads for dinner...and junk for lunch @ work..so today while coming home I decided to cook something fresh..Came home opened my fridge and found a chunk of cabbage lying alone...It was looking so dull and dipressed..I felt as if it was asking me "Why did you leave me alone? Comeon...do something..'m sick of being cut and stored for days together"...hmmm...but then I don't cook cabbage alone...I hate the raw smell and the bland taste of cabbage...

My cabbage recipe index is cabbage-grated coconut stir fry, cabbage-potato curry, cabbage-spinach and last but not the least..cabbage-moong dal fry...I also make cabbage upma (substitute onions with chopped cabbage...idea adopted frm my friend Praveena who's a great devotee of Iskon)

No potatoes, no coconut and no spinach at home..So I had to make the dal fry...I tasted this recipe during a feast at one of our cousin's marriage...But it was mashed moong dal cooked with cabbage..that's cabbage pappu...My aunt alters this recipe and prepares a dry curry....

Hmmm....long introduction to a short recipe....for those moon dal lovers, here's the recipe...

Ingredients:

Cabbage - 2 cups (chopped finely)

Moong dal - 1 cup

Onion - 1 (chopped)

Green chillies - 4 (chopped)

Ginger - 1 tsp (grated)

Garlic - 1 tsp (crushed)

Curry leaves - 8-10

Turmeric - 1/4th tsp

Salt - to taste

For tadka/popu - Cumin, mustard seeds, urad dal - 1 tsp each

Oil - 1 table spoon

Procedure:

1. Wash the moong dal. Boil water in a sauce pan and add this moong dal.Let it boil for 5min and then remove from heat and let it stand for about 10min. Drain the water and set the dal aside. The texture of the dal should be seperate.

2. Take the chopped cabbage in a microwave safe bowl, sprinkle some water and microwave on high for 5min.

3. Heat oil in a curry pan. Add the popu ingredients and the curry leaves.

4. When the seeds start spluttering, add the ginger and garlic pieces.

5. Fry for 30 sec and add the green chillies and onions. Saute till onions turn transperent.

6. Now add the turmeric powder, salt and mix well.

7. Add the boiled moong dal and roast for about 4-5min.

8. Finally add the microwaved cabbage, close the lid and simmer for 5min.

9. Remove from heat and serve.

This curry tastes well both with rice and rotis.