Cabbage Thuvayal / Thogayal

Cabbage thogayal / thuvayal is one of my mom's recent innovations in the kitchen. It is a coarser and more tart version of chutney. Shredded cabbage is ground with tamarind, chillies, ginger, and black gram to make a thuvayal that tastes different from the usual ones.

Ingredients (serves 6):

1. 4 cups of shredded cabbage
2. 2 inch slab of ginger, peeled and diced
3. 1 inch ball of tamarind soaked in very little hot water (just enough to cover the tamarind)
4. 2 teaspoons split urad dal / split black gram
5. 2 dry red chillies
6. 3 tablespoons sesame oil
7. 1/2 teaspoon hing / asafoetida
8. salt - as needed

Preparation:

1. Heat a tablespoon of sesame oil in a pan. When hot, roast the black gram and red chillies along with hing until the gram begins to change color. Remove from heat and transfer to a plate. 
2. Heat two tablespoons of sesame oil in the same pan. When hot, saute the cabbage and ginger on medium heat for 5-7 minutes, just until the cabbage doesn't smell raw. Remove from heat and allow it to cool.
3. First grind the tamarind (with some of the water in which it was soaked) along with salt and roasted red chillies to make a smooth paste. 
4. Then, add the cabbage and ginger and grind to a slightly coarse paste. Sprinkle some water, if needed.
5. Finally add the roasted black gram (with hing) and grind coarsely. Some bite adds to the texture and taste.

Serve with rice alongside a kootu.

This thuvayal is similar to the cabbage chutney I make. Mother and daughter think alike sometimes!