Cabbage spinach kootu (Cabbage and spinach dal)

This is a  healthy and simple kootu/dal made using cabbage and spinach. I usually make this with cabbage alone sans the coriander leaves. But this weekend as I set out to make my usual cabbage kootu, I saw a half packet of unused spinach and I decided to use it along with some fresh coriander leaves that we had got from the market. It tasted great with rice and potato curry. I cleaned the left over kootu with some rotis next day.

Ingredients:

• 11/2 cup cabbage chopped
• 11/2 cup spinach packed
• 4-5 tbsp coriander leaves
• 2-3 tbsp coconut grated
• 1 tsp jeera
• 3-4 black pepper
• 1/4 cup moong dal
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
• 2-3 red chillies
• 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
• 1/2 tsp urad dal
• 1/4 tsp asafoetida
• 1/2 tbsp oil/ghee

Method:

Cook moong dal with a little salt until soft and well cooked.

In a pan add add the chopped cabbage and 1/4 cup water, close with a lid and cook until they  are somewhat soft.

Chop the spinach finely and add it to the pan containing cabbage. Let the spinach cook along with the cabbage until both the spinach and cabbage are cooked until soft.

Grind coconut, coriander leaves, 1/2 tsp jeera, pepper corn into a smooth paste.

Add the ground paste and cooked dal to the cabbage and spinach and mix well. Cook them in a medium flame for 2-3 minutes. Add salt according to taste. (If you find the consistency of the kootu/dal thick add some water. If it is watery, add 1tbsp rice flour to thicken it and cook for couple of minutes)

Now temper by heating oil/ghee in small pan. When hot add, remaining jeera, mustard seeds, urad dal, broken dried red chilli and asafoetida.

Add the tempering to the kootu, mix well and serve hot with rice or rotis.

Note:

If you want a spicy kootu, you can grind the red chillies along with the coconut paste instead of tempering them.