You need:
- 125g dried split yellow peas
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil or ghee
- 1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
- 2 teaspoons cumin seeds
- 8 curry leaves
- 4 dried red chilies, crushed
- 1 pinch asafoetida
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- ½ white cabbage, trunk removed, cut in stripes
- salt
- 1 bunch fresh green coriander leaves, chopped
Put the split peas into half a litre boiling water and cook for about 30 minutes until soft, then drain.
Heat the oil in a large frying pan or wok. Add mustard and cumin seeds and fry until they begin to pop, then addcurry leaves, chilies and peas and fry for about 5 minutes, stirring continuously.
Add asafoetida, turmeric and thecabbage. Stir well, then reduce heat to very low and let simmer with the lid on until the cabbage is soft (30-45 minutes). Stir occasionally, make sure nothing sticks to the pan. There should be no liquid left in the pan in the end.
Salt to taste and add coriander leaves before serving.
