Spinach and Lentil Soup

Here is a simple yet delicious soup that highlights the classic spinach and lentil combination. Instead of using plain vegetable broth, I made my own version infusing it with a combination of indian spices that gives this dish an exciting complexity.

2 bags baby spinach (8 cups)
8 cups vegetable broth
1 cup moong aka mung dal (green gram dal), washed until there is almost no muddled water that washes out
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 dried bay leaf
1 cinnamon stick
5 cloves
3 tbsp coriander seeds
3/4 tsp red chilli powder (this gives a slight undertone of heat at the back of your throat. This is optional)
zest from one lemon
juice from one lemon
1/2 tsp + 1 1/2 tsp salt

Heat 8 cups of vegetable broth over medium heat in a dutch oven. Add cumin and coriander seeds, cinnamon, cloves and bay leaf. Let the broth come to a boil and drop the heat to medium and let it simmer for 20 minutes. Drain and pour the spiced broth back into the dutch oven.

In the meanwhile, in a heavy bottomed pan add the cup of washed/soaked moong dal along with 2 cups of water, turmeric powder and 1/2 tsp salt. Bring this to a boil over high heat. Then drop the heat to low and cook covered with a lid for 25 minutes. Keep checking on it every 5-10 minutes to make sure the water doesn’t overflow and the dal is cooking in a simmering boil. If the water is boiling over through the covered lid, then leave the lid very slightly open to let some of the steam escape. Adjust heat accordingly and complete cooking the dal completely.

Using a blender, puree the spinach in batches. You may need a few tablespoons of liquid to make a smooth puree. Use the spiced broth rather than plain water, it will add a lot of flavor. Pour the pureed spinach back in along with the spiced broth. Add the remaining salt and chilli powder. Mix evenly and bring this to a boil over medium heat.

Simmer the soup for 15 minutes until the spinach is cooked and goes from a bright green to a darker color. Now add the cooked lentils into the soup, mix well and let simmer for 15 more minutes. Add 1 tbsp of lemon zest, lemon juice and chopped cilantro. Let it simmer for 10 more minutes and turn off the heat.

Check if you need more seasoning. Serve with crispy croutons. It’s easy to make your own croutons – just cut the edges of any bread you have, spray it with butter spray and cut into 1/2 inch pieces. Spread on a baking sheet and toast in a 400 degree oven for 5 minutes, flip over and toast 5-6 more minutes on the other side. Carefully watch the bread, it can easily burn.

Aaloo Palak

This recipe is very special and one of my favorites. I am thrilled to share my simple , easy to follow recipe of this traditionally  slow cooked laborious process, all without compromising on an ounce of flavor.

My home made version is not doused with cream and butter which often is the reason for flavor in many restaurants. I like to rely on the natural taste of the ingredients and add to the deliciousness with perfect combination of spices and stay away from the cream.

Much like for me,  this will quickly become one of your favorite weekend meals.

1 pound of baby potatoes, boiled and peeled (around 10-12)
3 bags of baby spinach (about 12-13 cups of fresh spinach)
1 large red onion, peeled and diced
3 large tomatoes, roughly chopped
5 cloves garlic, peeled
1 inch piece of ginger, peeled
3 green chillies (substitute: 1 serrano)
3 cloves
1/2 inch stick of cinnamon
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp canola oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 tsps salt
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp coriander powder
3 tbsps cilantro, washed and finely chopped
In a large saute pot, melt 2 tbsps butter and add the oil and heat for 30 seconds. Add the cumin seeds and just when it starts turning light golden brown,  add chopped onions. Keep sautéing on medium-high heat until the onions are golden brown, around 10-12 minutes. Drop the heat to low.

In the meantime, using a blender, make a puree of roughly chopped tomatoes, garlic, ginger, cloves, cinnamon and a pinch of salt. No extra water needed since the tomatoes will lend a lot of water.

Add this pureed tomato mixture to the simmering onions. Make sure you are on low heat, there will be some spluttering. Mix well and let cook covered for 15 minutes until the tomato puree and spices are cooked and infused together with the onions and cumin.

Uncover and let the tomato sauce simmer on low heat. In the meanwhile, puree the baby spinach in a blender with few tsps of water. You will have to do this in batches. Make sure the spinach is a puree and not too watery. It is raw spinach at this time.
Add the pureed spinach to the simmering tomato sauce. Mix well and let simmer over medium heat for 30 minutes, while mixing every 10 minutes. You will notice a change from a bright green to a darker and earthier green as an indication of being done.

Add salt, coriander powder and garam masala. Mix well, add the halved cooked baby potatoes to the spinach sauce. Let simmer over medium heat for another 20 minutes. Check for seasoning, sprinkle cilantro and turn off the heat. Tastes great with any indian bread or basmati rice.

I like to serve this the day after because the baby potatoes have more time to absorb all the flavors. Tastes quite divine!

Spiced Lentil and Bean Stew

Inspired by the classic Ethiopian dish, and with my inclination towards indian spices came about this hearty and ‘warm your belly’ lentil stew. If you love earthy, warm spices, this will hit the right spot. Just the perfect bowl of dinner for the winter.

You will need:

3 cups lentils (regular brown or puy)
2 cans dark red kidney beans (pre-cooked)
1 bay leaf (fresh or dried)
1 large onion, finely chopped (yellow or white)
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2″ piece ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
1 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tbsp butter
2 large tomatoes, chopped ( for plum tomatoes, use 4)
1/4 cup tomato paste
4 cups vegetable stock (you can substitute with water)
1/3 cup cilantro, chopped
1 sprig, fresh mint leaves, roughly chopped
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp lemon juice

For the Spice mixture:
2 tsp cumin seeds
2 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp fenugreek seeds (optional)
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 tsp cardamom (i use whole ones)
4 cloves
1/2 stick cinnamon
2 tbsp crushed red pepper
1/2 tsp salt

In a dry skillet, add all the above spice mixture  ingredients. Toast over medium heat for 3-4 minutes. Keep tossing making sure the spices don’t burn. Powder these ingredients in a blender along with the chopped ginger with no liquid. It has to be a dry powder. Frying whole spices and freshly grinding them adds immense flavor to the stew. If you don’t have access to fresh whole spices, as a substitute, you could use the pre-powdered version of all the above spices and just mix them together in a bowl.

In a large pot, add 6 cups of water along with the lentils and bay leaf. Boil the lentils for about 45 minutes. Around the 30 minute mark, check to see the doneness and adjust amount of water and cooking time accordingly. The lentils after 45 minutes, should be cooked but not mushy. It should be firm and al dente since it is going to cook a bit more while putting together the stew.

Drain the lentils, also drain the can of kidney beans and set aside.

In a large pot, add the butter and vegetable oil. Once the butter is golden brown, add the onions and garlic. Sauteé for 10 minutes until the onions soften.

Add the ground spice mixture and cook for 7-8 more minutes making sure the spice powder is mixed evenly.

Add the chopped tomatoes and salt , cook 5 more minutes.

Add tomato paste, mix well and then add the vegetable stock.

Simmer over medium heat for 25-30 minutes.

Now add the cooked lentils and beans, simmer 20 more minutes.

Check for salt, top with the chopped cilantro, mint, lemon juice and turn off the heat.

I prefer this stew just on it’s own with a little extra squeeze of lemon, but you could also serve it with your favorite bread.

Ziti with Broccolini and Spinach in Roasted Garlic Marinara

Quick and easy to put together, combining some store bought ingredients with fresh veggies, this makes an ideal weeknight meal. This was my dinner tonight. With broccolini and spinach in my pantry, I added tangy olives and garlicky marinara sauce to make a warm and comforting dinner.

1 pound ziti
2 bunches, broccolini (around 4 cups) ends trimmed
1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 large potato, peeled and sliced thin lengthwise
1 pound baby spinach, washed
1/4 cup marinated green olives, pitted and roughly chopped
6 cups roasted garlic marinara
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tbsp crushed red peppers (optional)
1 tbsp dried basil
2 tsp salt
1 tbsp canola oil

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Drop the pasta in and cook 7-8 minutes until al dente (refer to your package instructions for exact cooking time). Drain and set aside.

Heat oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Add cumin seeds and just when it starts roasting, add the chopped onions. Cook over medium-high heat until onions are slightly browned. Add olives, spinach and 1 tsp salt. Cook until the spinach wilts. Add potatoes and saute for 5 minutes until the potatoes just start cooking.

Add the broccolini and another tsp of salt. Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes. Stir in the marinara sauce, crushed red pepper and basil. Let simmer for 10 minutes.

Add the cooked pasta into the sauce, toss together to make sure the pasta is coated well with the sauce. Serve warm with your favorite bread.

Lima Bean Biryani

This is another one of my crazy kitchen sink recipes. Kitchen sink recipes are ones I have no plan or recipe for. I just make it up as I go along, with whatever ingredients I have at that moment. Most of the times it works well and the times it doesn’t, you don’t hear about it!

I love lima beans and I think these classic flavors go very well together and jazz up the usually challenging lima beans. It’s just another way of using the yummy beans.

2 cups lima beans, thawed ( I used frozen)
2 cups basmati rice
1 large white onion, peeled and roughly chopped
1 large red tomato, roughly chopped
5 cloves of garlic, peeled
1″ piece ginger, peeled
3 serrano chillies, roughly chopped ( I use the whole peppers. Feel free to adjust this as you please)
6 cloves
1 cinnamon stick
1/4 tsp asafoetida powder ( Optional: don’t let not having this ingredient discourage you from trying this recipe!)
1tbsp + 1tsp cumin seeds
1 tbsp coriander seeds
2 tsp salt
1/4 cup fresh cilantro
2 tbsp canola oil
1 tbsp butter

In a blender, add garlic, ginger, serrano chillies, cilantro, 1 tbsp cumin seeds, coriander seeds, 1 tsp salt, tomato and onions. Blend this mixture together, with no added water. The watery tomatoes yield just enough. Make this into a smooth paste and set aside.

Heat a largewide non-stick pan over medium heat with canola oil and  butter. Once the butter has melted add the remaining 1 tsp cumin seeds  and asafoetida powder.As I mentioned above, asafoetida is one of those things that not every one may have available. But don’t let not having  this one ingredient discourage you  from making the dish. It will taste great either way.

When the cumin seeds start spluttering, remove the pan from heat and  add the blended mixture. Doing it on heat will make a mess, there is a lot  of spluttering. Make sure you reduce the heat to low before returning the  pan to heat. Cook over low heat partially covered for 20-25 minutes,  stirring every  8 or so minutes. This will remove the raw smell from the  onion and spices and give room for all the flavors to meld together. Your kitchen must smell heavenly just about now!

Add the lima beans, the measured water and remaining tsp of salt. Increase the heat to medium high and cook uncovered for 10-12 minutes. Add the basmati rice, mix and let it come to a boil.

Just when it comes to a boil, cover and drop the heat to low. Cook for 20-25 minutes until the rice is perfectly done. Remove and gently fold or fluff using a spatula. Do not over mix or the rice will break and become mushy.

Garnish with cilantro and serve this dish hot with a cup of cool raita.

Methi and Potatoes in Coconut Curry sauce

2 potatoes, washed and boiled until just firm and cooked

1/2 red onion, thinly sliced lengthwise

1 cup methi leaves, washed

1 tsp cumin seeds

3 tbsp cilantro, finely chopped

1 cup light cream
1 tbsp canola oil
1 tsp salt

Paste ingredients :

1/2 cup coconut

1 cinnamon stick

3 cloves

1 inch piece ginger

3 garlic cloves

1/2 -3/4 cup water

1 tsp salt

5-6 indian green chillies

Blend the above paste ingredients together until smooth and set aside.

Heat a pan with oil over medium heat. Add the cumin seeds and saute until golden. Add the onions and cook until soft.  Pour in the blended mixture and let cook for 20 minutes over medium-high heat.

Add the methi leaves, remaining salt and cook for another 10 minutes. Slowly drizzle in the cream over low heat and let cook for another 5 minutes. Peel the boiled potatoes and crumble it gently into  bite size pieces and add to the simmering curry.

Sprinkle cilantro on top and let simmer for another 10 minutes. Sere hot with rice or with any indian bread.

Spicy Beetroot and Peas Curry

3 medium beets, washed, peeled and diced
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 cup frozen green peas,thawed to room temperature
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp red chilli powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp garam masala powder
2 tbsp canola oil
3 tbsp cilantro, finely chopped

Heat oil in a large non-stick pan over medium heat. Add the cumin seeds and fry till golden brown. Add onions and turmeric powder.

Sauté until onions are golden. Add the peas, diced beets, coriander powder and salt. Stir well and cook covered for 10 minutes until the beets are softened. Uncover, add red chilli powder, and garam masala. Mix well together and let cook over medium heat for 12-15 minutes stirring every 4-5 minutes. Once the curry is well incorporated together, sprinkle cilatntro on top and serve hot with chapathi’s or basmati rice.

Cabbage Lentil Pancakes

Try this and you will never complain about cabbage being bland. The crispy pan fried pieces of cabbage and the hearty spiced lentils are a wonderful combination.

1 cup bengal gram dal (Channa dal)
3 cups cabbage, shredded
1 medium onion, finely chopped
8-10 dried red chillies
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1″ piece ginger, minced
1/2 tsp asafoetida powder
5 curry leaves, chopped
1/3 cup cilantro, chopped
1/3 cup canola oil
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp rice flour

Soak the channa dal for an hour in water. Drain and grind into a coarse paste with the dried red chillies, 1/2 tsp salt and asafoetida powder.

Add the minced ginger, chopped onions, cumin seeds, cilantro, curry leaves and salt to this mixture. Mix well, add the shredded cabbage, rice flour toss together and set aside.

Heat oil in a large non-stick pan over medium heat. Take 2 tbsps of the cabbage-lentil mixture, slightly flatten it with your palms and gently place on the oil. Fry for 4-5 minutes on one side until completely cooked through and browned. Flip over and cook for another 4 minutes.

Place on paper towels to drain and serve warm with mint chutney.

Paneer Balls

Paneer is a comforting and luxurious ingredient. Stuffed in bread mixed with a few herbs and spices, it makes a decadent appetizer to serve at any party. It is easy and quick to prepare.

Recipe courtesy of my always resourceful mother-in-law.

1/2 cup paneer, crumbled
5 slices white bread
1/2  small onion, finely chopped
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
3 indian green chillies, finely chopped
1/2 tsp coriander powder
2 tbsp cilantro, finely chopped
1/2 tsp salt

Microwave the paneer for 30 seconds to soften it. Crumble it with your hands. The heat of your hands will make it creamy.  Add the onions, cumin seeds, green chillies, coriander powder, cilantro and salt. Mix it with you hands together to form the filling.

Place a little ball of the filling in the center of the bread. Fold the corners of the bread over the filling and press within the palm of your hands to make a ball of the bread with the filling inside. Press hard to make sure it is completely sealed. If the bread is too dry, dampen your hands which will help the bread bind better.

Heat a pot with oil up to half way through over medium heat.  Gently drop the balls into the oil and fry until golden brown on all sides, around 2-3 minutes. Serve hot with ketchup.

Chickpeas and Methi leaf Curry

Methi(aka Fenugreek) Leaves and Seeds are common ingredients in Indian cooking. They have a slightly bitter but intensely nutty and savory flavor. Added to any gravy or vegetable curries, it adds a great depth. Herb combination of Methi leaves and Cilantro is just a great flavor treat!

Using chickpeas or potatoes with methi leaves is most common. Here is a version of methi leaves with chickpeas in a tomato/onion masala.

1 32 oz can Chickpeas
1 cup Methi leaves (aka Fenugreek leaves) cleaned & washed
5 tbsp canola oil
2 tsp salt
1 tsp garam masala
1/3 cup cilantro

To make into a paste:
1 stick Cinnamon
4 cloves
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 tsp coriander seeds
8 Indian green chillis (use 4-5 for a milder version)
1 ” Ginger piece
3 garlic cloves
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
1/4 tsp asafoetida powder
1 large tomato
1 medium onion
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1 cup water

Add all of the above paste ingredients to a blender. Add the cup of water and blend everything together to make a smooth paste. Set aside.

Prepare the methi leaves: pluck the leaves from the stem and discard the stems. Put all the leaves in a bowl and fill it with cold water. Let it sit for 5 minutes, all the dirt and grit will sink to the bottom. Gently pick the leaves out the water, pat dry with a paper towel and rough chop the leaves and set aside.

In a pan heat 5 tbsps canola oil over medium heat for 2-3 minutes. Remove the pan off the heat and pour the blended spice mixture into the pan stirring the mixture and the oil together. If you pour the mixture into the oil while still on heat there will be a lot of splattering. Put the pan back into medium heat, sprinkle 1 tsp of salt and cook this masala for 15-20 minutes stirring ever 5 minutes. The raw flavor and smell of the spices will mellow down as it simmers. Your kitchen will smell insanely good by now!

Add remaining salt, garam masala powder and the chopped methi leaves. Mix throughly. Let this cook for another 2-3 minutes.

Add the chickpeas and cilantro making sure the chick peas is really coated well in the masala. Cook for another 7-8 minutes, remove from heat and serve hot. I served it over a bed of hot basmati rice and with Chapatis. Naan would be great too!

This curry tastes even better the next day when the chickpeas has completely soaked into the masala sitting in it all day! In fact I always make this dish in the morning and serve it for dinner. The flavors intensify and marry better the longer it sits.

This is my entry for Weekend Herb Blogging, hosted this week by Haalo from Cook (almost) Anything At Least Once. Here are the rules if you want to participate and  here’s Who’s Hosting Weekend Herb Blogging if you’d like to join the weekly celebration of cooking with fresh herbs.

Fried Potatoes with Cumin-Coriander-Black Pepper Spice Rub

3 potatoes, chopped into 2 inch pieces
1 tsp cilantro, for garnish

For the Spice rub :
2 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp whole black pepper
3/4 tsp salt

Heat a pan over medium-high heat and toast the whole black pepper on the dry pan. Keep stirring every few seconds so it doesn’t burn. After 30 seconds add the cumin and coriander seeds. Toast for a minute, set aside and let cool. Once it has completely cooled down blend the spices with the salt to a coarse powder.

Chop the potatoes into 2″ pieces and pat dry the moisture with a paper towel. Fill a pot with canola oil half way through and heat over medium heat for 5 minutes.

Gently drop the potato into the oil and let fry until golden brown (around 10-15 minutes). Make sure the heat is not too high, or the outside will burn without the inside cooking all the way through.

Drain the potatoes well and toss them into the spice rub while hot and mix well.

Serve warm garnished with cilantro.

Chickpeas-Mint Patties

A simple and healthy snack with insanely great flavors. With the lemon-cilantro-garlic sauce, it’s a marriage made in heaven!

1 13 oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 tbsp dried mint
1 tsp red chilli powder
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp cumin powder
3/4 tsp coriander powder
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 garlic cloves, peeled
1 tsp salt

Preheat oven to  400F

In a blender, add the the chickpeas, mint, red chilli powder, cumin seeds, cumin and coriander powders, garlic and salt. Pulse blend a few times with no extra water added. Drop the egg and blend completely. Transfer the mixture to a bowl.

Grease a baking tray or a cookie sheet with non-stick cooking spray liberally. Drop a tablespoon of spoonful of mixture on the sheet and gently flatten them with the back of your spoon.Make the rest of the mixture into patties and place then an inch apart.

Bake for 15 minutes until one side is browned and turn them over and bake 10 more minutes until completely crispy. Serve warm with the cilantro-garlic dipping sauce.

I am entering this dish into the EFM-Savories event hosted by SrishKitchen.

Pesarattu (pronounced pes-a-ret)

Here’s another authentic south Indian breakfast/supper dish. Pesarattu is a savory pancake made from whole green gram dal. You can make the batter ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator up to 5 days. This is traditionally served with rava upma. But for more everyday ease I usually serve it with any chutney, like Onion chutney, tomato chutney or ginger chutney( will post the recipe soon!)

1 cup Whole Green Moong Dal
1/4 cup rice (use any long grained white rice)
2″ fresh Ginger, peeled
6 Indian Green Chillies
4 Dried red chillies
1 cup water
2 tsp salt
1 tsp asafoetida powder
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 tsp cumin seeds
2 tsp canola oil

As with most Indian lentils first wash them well. Soak moong dal and rice overnight. (at least 10-12 hrs).

In a blender, add the soaked dal, rice, green chillies, red chillies, asafoetida, ginger and salt. Grind to a smooth batter adding in the water slowly 1/4 cup at a time. You want the batter thick but still in pourable consistency. Add the cumin seeds and the chopped onions, mix thoroughly and set aside.

Heat a large non-stick skillet or griddle over medium heat. Grease it with non-stick cooking spray. Ladle in the batter (1 ladle full) and with the back of your ladle and with gentle pressure, starting from the center of the circle, spread the batter with a circular motion to make a thin even circle.

Drizzle 1/2 tsp of canola oil around the edge of the circle. Cook until the edges become brown around 3-4 minutes). Flip the pesarattu over and cook for another 2-3 minutes until completely cooked. Make as many as needed and serve hot.

Store the leftover batter in the refrigerator.

I am sending this for the My Legume Love Affair : MLLA Sixth Helping : Hot & Spicy event hosted by Tasty Palettes. For more on the future line-up of this event visit Susan’s event page.

Stir Fried Pasta Potato and Peas

Here is something that I make as a quick meal. It’s simple and delicious.

One of my readers PhilRamble had mentioned this as his favorite things to cook in a comment on my Radiatore -Sundried tomato post. I was amazed and happy to find a fellow blogger who loves this unconventional variation!

1 pound pasta (use ziti, rigatoni or penne)
2 large potatoes, washed, peeled and sliced lengthwise
1 cup frozen peas
1 large onion, thinly sliced (I used a red onion)
2 tbsp butter
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/4 tsp asafoetida powder (optional, leave it out if you don’t have it in hand)
2 tsp coriander powder
1 1/2 tsp red chilli powder or cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp garam masala
1- 1 1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup cilantro, washed and finely chopped
2-3 tbsp lemon juice

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, around 8-9 minutes.

In a large skillet, melt butter and add the cumin seeds. Fry until the cumin starts to slightly brown. Add the asafoetida powder, fry a couple of seconds and add the onions. Cook until the onions are slightly browned, stirring often. Add the peas, potatoes, salt and stir it all together. Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, sitrring frequently until the peas are cooked and the potatoes just start to get tender.

Add the coriander, red chilli and garam masala powders and mix them all together. If the mixture is too dry, drizzle a tsp of vegetable or canola oil. Cook over medium high heat for another 10-12 minutes until the potatoes are completely cooked and the raw spices in the dish are mellowed down.

Add the cooked pasta, lemon juice and cilantro and gently mix everything together so the spices evenly coat the pasta. Heat through for another 5 minutes and serve.

Oddly I eat this dish with ketchup drizzled over it ( I think it’s delicious that way) but it doesn’t need anything more technically!

Cabbage and Lentil stew

I love cabbage and this simple south indian dish is one of my all time favorites! On a cold day, this is my comfort food and reminds me of my mom’s kitchen.

3 cups cabbage, chopped
1/3 cup moong dal (Split green gram dal)
1/2 tsp asafoetida powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup cilantro
1 serrano pepper
6-7 curry leaves (approx. one stem)
3/4 tsp cumin seeds

In a large soup pot bring a cup of water to a boil. Add the turmeric powder, asafoetida and the moong dal, mix well. When it starts vigorously boiling drop the heat to medium-low, cover and let cook for 20-25 minutes. You may need to manage the amount of water during this process. To avoid the dal from sticking to the bottom of the pan you will need to stir every 5 minutes and add more water if needed. Cook until the dal becomes soft and mashed.

To this add the chopped cabbage and salt, mix well and let cook for another 15 minutes, until the cabbage cooks.

In the meanwhile, add the cilantro, cumin seeds, serrano and curry leaves to a blender. Blend to a fine paste with very little water. 

Add this curry-cilantro paste to the cooked cabbage-dal mixture, mix well and simmer for 5-7 more minutes. Serve hot with rice or any indian bread.