Recipe Blue Mountain Stew (Muttakos Sambhar)

[karadekoolaid]

I love this recipe with a passion! It´s simple, satisfying, and uses my favourite dal - toor dal. The recipe comes from "Classic Indian Vegetarian and Grain Cookery" by Julie Sahni , although I´m writing up the recipe from memory because the original is back in Caracas!
Ingredients
200 gms toor dal
1 large onion, roughly chopped
250 gms white cabbage, cut into 1" pieces
3 tomatoes, cut into 4 pieces
1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds
1 tsp black mustard seeds
2 tbsps Sambhar powder*
1 tsp chile powder (optional)
A dozen curry leaves
Oil or ghee
Salt
Water
*To make your own sambhar: 40 gms coriander seed, 30 gms cumin seed, 10 - 12 dried chiles( you can leave these out if you don´t like it hot), 10 gms fenugreek, 10 gms black pepper, 2 tbsps urid dal (white gram beans), 1 tbsp curry leaves. Toast in a dry pan, then blitz in a spice grinder.
Method

• If you´re using oily toor dal, wash them in water several times until the water runs clear. Otherwise, unnecessary.
• Put the dal in a pot, add a pinch of salt and cover with water to about 1/2 " above the dal. Bring to the boil and then simmer until cooked, about 20-25 minutes. Remove the dal and set aside.
• Heat a little oil in the pan and fry the onion until it softens.
• Now add the fenugreek, mustard seeds and curry leaves. Stir fry for about 1 minute.
• Now add the other spices and salt and stir fry for 30 seconds.
• Put the cabbage and tomatoes in the pot, stir to mix well and cook for a few minutes.
• Blend half the dal until smooth. Add the blended and the whole dal to the pot, cover once more with water and bring to a boil.
• Lower the heat to a simmer and cook until the cabbage is softened, about 20 minutes.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

 

[Timenspace]

Lentils I love in all variants. This combination is wonderful! I never thought I would combine lentils and cabbage, but it reads splendid. I just read a few cabbage kootu recipes, it is such a good dish for any evening, winter or not. One can really immerse the senses in all the spices and their flavours... and the soft creamy lentils. What do the curry leaves give? And the fenugreek? I would assume the tomatoes give the acidity but not overly, and some freshness. Can one taste the cabbage in it? I would assume, yes.

 

[karadekoolaid]

Thanks!
The curry leaves add a certain citrusy flavour and a slightly indescribable bitterness. Not something unpleasant, but it´s there.
The fenugreek adds a little sweetness and earthiness. I always think this spice smells of wet clay, of simple pottery soaked by the rain.
The tomatoes add some acidity, but not much, and the cabbage is definitely there. You can add more if you wish.