Cabbage Poriyal Recipe (Muttaikose Poriyal)
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Got a humble cabbage in your fridge? Turn it into this delicious, comforting cabbage poriyal, also called muttaikose poriyal, with just a handful of ingredients!
Here are some more poriyal-style recipes to try: Beans poriyal, beetroot poriyal, and cabbage shaak.
Table of Contents
I love South Indian food. Apart from the fancy curries and non-vegetarian preparations, I like their everyday vegetable preparations too. Most are quick and easy to make.
This Tamil Nadu-style cabbage poriyal is one of the many South Indian homestyle dishes I learned to cook from a neighbor in Bangalore. It takes just 20 minutes to make, with only a few simple ingredients and only one pan. This is how I do it.
What Is Cabbage Poriyal?
Poriyal is a Tamil-style vegetable dish in which chopped or sliced vegetables are shallow-fried or sautéed with spices.
This style of cooking is found all over South India under different names. In Karnataka it is palya, in Andhra Pradesh it is vepudu, and in Kerala it is thoran. All share the same basic concept, but each has its own quirks in ingredients and technique that give it a distinctive regional character.
Cabbage poriyal (muttaikose poriyal) is one of the most popular of this style of cooking. It is made with shredded cabbage tempered with mustard seeds, chana dal, urad dal, curry leaves, and green chilies. The coconut is added only at the last moment so it stays fresh and light, not oily or toasted.
My Whisk Affair twist: I cook the cabbage covered over low heat, not high. It steams the cabbage in its own moisture, so it ends up tender but not mushy or watery, which is a common complaint with quick stir-fried cabbage recipes.
Why You Will Love This Family Favorite Recipe!
- Fast. Chop. Season. Stir. Finish. 20 minutes start to finish. One pan.
- Uses basic pantry ingredients. No nonsense. If you cook Indian food often, you have it all.
- It makes no dent in the grocery budget. A small head of cabbage=side dish for four.
- It’s a good way to use half a cabbage. If you happen to have a stray half-cabbage hanging around in your fridge, as I do (I use the other half for my cabbage rice or cabbage pachadi), this recipe is a good way to use it before it gets soft.
- Kid-friendly – Mildly Spiced, Soft Texture, Natural Touch Of Sweetness From The Coconut.
Ingredients
- Cabbage – Use fresh, tight green cabbage. Cut thin for even, quick cooking.
- Oil – You can use any neutral cooking oil. Coconut oil adds a more traditional South Indian flavor.
- Black mustard seeds, chana dal, and white urad dal – These are the base of the tempering (tadka) and give the dish its signature crunch and aroma.
- Curry leaves – The use of fresh leaves really makes a difference. You can get dried ones that are usable in a pinch, but the flavor is much milder.
- Green chilies – Adjust the quantity to match your desired spice level.
- Turmeric powder is used for color and warmth.
- Dried red chilies – These add a nice pop of color.
- Fresh coconut – A good poriyal is made great with the addition of fresh grated coconut. Frozen grated coconut (thawed) is a good substitute.
- Salt – For salting.
How To Make Cabbage Poriyal
Prepare the cabbage. Wash a medium-sized cabbage, or half a large one, and shred it thinly with a sharp knife or a box grater. Thin strips cook quickly and remain tender-crisp, not mushy. You will need 4 cups of shredded cabbage. Drain excess water in a strainer.
Make the tempering. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add 1 teaspoon of black mustard seeds, and let them splutter. Now add 1 teaspoon chana dal and 1 teaspoon white urad dal, and fry until light golden.
Add the aromatics. Add 10-12 curry leaves, 2 dried red chilies, and 2 slit green chilies. Fry for 4-5 seconds till fragrant.
Cook the cabbage. Add the shredded cabbage and ¼ teaspoon of turmeric powder, then mix well. Turn the heat down to low. Cover and cook for 6-8 minutes, stirring once or twice. Covering the pan steams the cabbage in its own moisture, cooking it through without adding oil or water.
Check for doneness. The cabbage should be tender but still have a bit of bite. It should not be limp or watery.
Season and finish. Add 1 teaspoon salt and mix well. If there’s any extra moisture in the pan, cook uncovered for a minute.
Add the coconut. Remove from heat and add ½ cup fresh grated coconut. Adding the coconut off the heat keeps it fresh-tasting rather than toasted, which is what you want in a poriyal. Taste for salt and adjust if needed.
Serve warm. Serve hot with rice and a South Indian curry of your choice.
Pro Tips By Neha
Shred. Not chop. Thin shreds cook faster and more evenly than chunky pieces and also hold the coconut better.
Don’t overcook the cabbage. There should still be a bit of crunch to it.
Adding salt early will leach water out of the cabbage, leaving your poriyal soggy rather than dry and fluffy. So add it at the end.
Use fresh, not desiccated, coconut. Desiccated coconut is chewy and dry as it hits the hot pan. Fresh or thawed frozen coconut will remain soft and melt into the dish.
Taste and add more chili if needed. Cabbage is naturally sweet, so it’s easy to over-spice it by guessing instead of tasting as you go.
Variations
Cabbage and peas poriyal: Add a handful of green peas to the cabbage for added color and protein.
Cabbage carrot poriyal: Add ½ cup shredded carrot for natural sweetness and a splash of orange.
No onion, no garlic version: This recipe is already free of onion and garlic, making it suitable for festival cooking or a Jain-friendly meal.
With moong dal: Boil ¼ cup yellow moong dal in water till just tender. Then add the poriyal and the cabbage to the side dish.
Spicier version: Add a pinch of red chili powder with the turmeric for extra heat and color.
Serving Suggestions
Cabbage poriyal is a side dish that is best enjoyed with a bowl of hot sambar and steamed rice.
Or have it with curd rice or dahi poha and a spoon of pickle for a lighter meal.
It is also a good accompaniment to chapati or a lunch box side, as it can be kept at room temperature for a few hours.
Storage Suggestions
Cabbage poriyal tastes best when served fresh off the stove, with light, fluffy coconut.
You can store leftover poriyal in a sealed container for up to 3 days. The cabbage will release moisture as it rests, so give it a quick stir before reheating.
Reheat in a skillet over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes or in the microwave in 30-second intervals. Reheating in a pan is better for the texture than a microwave because the moisture you add can evaporate as it heats.
I wouldn’t recommend freezing it. Cabbage has a high water content, and when defrosted it becomes mushy and loses its crunch.
Cabbage Poriyal FAQs
This often happens when salt is added too early, or the pan is not covered during cooking. Salt draws water out of the cabbage, so put it in near the end and let the lid steam the cabbage gently.
Yes, you can make cabbage poriyal without coconut. You can omit the coconut, but it won’t taste quite as authentic. It still works as a simple sautéed cabbage side, just a little drier and less rich.
Yes, Red cabbage is fine. It will turn the dish purple. It’s a little more firm in texture, so it may need an extra minute or two of cooking.
Red cabbage has more antioxidants than its green variety, so it’s a good swap if you want a nutritional boost.
Yes, you can use frozen or pre-shredded cabbage. In a pinch, you can use pre-shredded coleslaw mix, but it tends to give off more water than freshly shredded cabbage. Do not buy frozen cabbage, which turns to mush once it is thawed.
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Cabbage Poriyal Recipe (Muttaikose Poriyal)
Ingredients
- 1 medium cabbage
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon chana dal
- 1 teaspoon white urad dal
- 10-12 curry leaves
- 2 dried red chilies
- 2 green chilies (slit in half)
- ¼ turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- ½ cup grated fresh coconut
Instructions
- Prepare the cabbage. Wash the cabbage and shred it thinly with a sharp knife or a box grater. Thin strips cook quickly and remain tender-crisp, not mushy. You will need 4 cups of shredded cabbage. Drain excess water in a strainer.
- Make the tempering. Heat oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add mustard seeds, and let them splutter. Add chana dal and urad dal, and fry until light golden.
- Add the aromatics. Add curry leaves, red chilies, and green chilies. Fry for 4-5 seconds till fragrant.
- Cook the cabbage. Add the shredded cabbage and turmeric powder, then mix well. Turn the heat down to low. Cover and cook for 6-8 minutes, stirring once or twice. Covering the pan steams the cabbage in its own moisture, cooking it through without adding oil or water.
- Check for doneness. The cabbage should be tender but still have a bit of bite. It should not be limp or watery.
- Season and finish. Add salt and mix well. If there’s any extra moisture in the pan, cook uncovered for a minute.
- Add the coconut. Remove from heat and add coconut. Adding the coconut off the heat keeps it fresh-tasting rather than toasted, which is what you want in a poriyal. Taste for salt and adjust if needed.
- Serve warm. Serve hot with rice and a South Indian curry of your choice.
