Easy Instant Pot Cabbage Kootu

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Cabbage kootu – This delightful combination of cabbage and chana dal sabzi is a simple and delicious accompaniment to rice and sambar. Make this easy vegetable dish in about 30 minutes using your Instant Pot.

An overhead shot of cabbage kootu served in a white bowl
Cabbage Kootu

Did you know that lentil and vegetable stews in Tamilnadu and Kerala are called kootu? The literal translation of the Tamil word “kootu” is to add and in the case of this stew, it is the vegetables that are being added to the lentils. 

Usually, kootus are a semi-dry dish with slightly more liquid consistency compared to a dry side dish like cabbage palya but less watery compared to dal or sambar.

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How to make cabbage kootu

This recipe yields a semi-dry cabbage kootu and not mushed at all so that there is some texture to it.

A collage of images showing how to make cabbage kootu using Instant Pot
Instant Pot Cabbage Kootu – Step by Step
  1. Rinse the chana dal and soak the chana dal in 3/4 cup of water for at least 15 minutes. While it is soaking, chop the onions and the cabbage.
  2. Rinse and drain the chopped cabbage. Set it aside.
  3. Add oil to the steel insert of the Instant Pot and press the Saute function. Press the Adjust button to move the selection to “low” and wait till the display reads “Hot.”
  4. Add mustard seeds and as they begin to splutter add curry leaves, dried chilies, green chilies, asafoetida, and garlic.
  5. Let it fry for around 20 seconds and then add onions. Fry them till they have softened (approximately 5-6 minutes).
  6. Add turmeric, salt, chana dal along with the water, and mix well. Deglaze the pot by scraping down the bottom of the pot to make sure nothing is stuck.
  7. Add chopped cabbage – do not mix it if you want some texture in your dish.
  8. Cover the lid and pressure cook on high for 8 minutes. When the cooking cycle is complete, release the pressure immediately.
  9. Add the grated coconut to the cooked cabbage and mix well.
  10. If the amount of water in the dish is more than you desire, turn on the Saute setting in your Instant Pot and set it to low. Cook until the water is absorbed.
  11. Serve hot with steamed rice and curry.

Variations

  1. To make this dish completely mushy, pressure cook for 10 minutes and add 1 cup of water. Let the pressure release naturally and use the back of the spoon to mash it completely.
  2. Also, there are recipes in which coconut paste made from grated coconut, cumin seeds, green chilies, and rice flour is added to the cooked cabbage and chana dal mixture. An example would be this recipe from Rakskitchen

There are many more variations to this dish. For instance, in Maharashtra, this recipe would be made without coconut and will be called cabbage chana dal sabzi whereas in Karnataka instead of kootu it would be called upkari but the process would be the same. 

Serving suggestions

Serve it warm with rotis or as a side dish with rice and sambarRecommended reading: How to make soft rotis like a pro. 

Cabbage Kootu served in white bowl topped with red chily and grated coconut
Cabbage Kootu Recipe

Looking for more side dish recipes? Check out these five easy Indian side dishes that we make over and over again – 

  1. Beans poriyal is traditionally made over the stovetop, but this Instant-Pot version will blow your mind – because it pressure cooks in zero minutes. Pair it with rice and your favorite curry for a complete meal.
  2. Bareda kai ajadina (kacche Keke ki sabzi) – Serve this simple yet flavorful dish on its own with rotis or as a side dish with rice and dal to make a light lunch or dinner.
  3. Cabbage poriyal – This simple, yet flavorful stir-fried cabbage preparation pairs well with steamed rice and sambar and makes for a perfect afternoon meal.
  4. Aloo methi – Aloo methi combines stir-fried potatoes (aloo) with freshly chopped fenugreek leaves (methi) to create an aromatic and flavorful side dish that is best savored with ghee laden rotis.
  5. Jeera Aloo – Made by sauteeing potatoes (aloo) in a tempering of olive oil and cumin (jeera) seeds, this simple yet delicious side dish is perfect for those who are new to Indian cooking. Pair with rice and dal to make a complete meal.
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An overhead shot of cabbage kootu served in a white bowl
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5 from 2 votes

Instant Pot Cabbage Kootu Recipe

Cabbage kootu - This delightful combination of cabbage and chana dal sabzi is a simple and delicious accompaniment to rice and sambar. Make this easy vegetable dish in about 30 minutes using your Instant Pot.
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Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 13 minutes
Pressure building time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 33 minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients
 
 

Instructions
 

  • Rinse the chana dal and soak the chana dal in 3/4 cup of water for at least 15 minutes. While it is soaking, chop the onions and the cabbage.
  • Rinse and drain the chopped cabbage. Set it aside.
  • Add oil to the steel insert of the Instant Pot and press the Saute function.
  • Press the Adjust button to move the selection to “low” and wait till the display reads “Hot.” 
  • Add mustard seeds and as they begin to splutter add curry leaves, dried chilies, green chilies, asafoetida, and garlic.
  • Let it fry for around 20 seconds and then add onions. Fry them till they have softened (approximately 5-6 minutes).
  • Add turmeric, salt, chana dal along with the water, and mix well.
  • Deglaze the pot by scraping down the bottom of the pot to make sure nothing is stuck.
  • Add chopped cabbage - do not mix it if you want some texture in your dish.
  • Cover the lid and pressure cook on high for 8 minutes. When the cooking cycle is complete, release the pressure immediately.
  • Add the grated coconut to the cooked cabbage and mix well.
  • If the amount of water in the dish is more than you desire, turn on the Saute setting in your Instant Pot and set it to low. Cook until the water is absorbed.
  • Serve hot with steamed rice and curry.

Notes

There are a couple of variations to this recipe. For instance, 
  1. To make this dish completely mushy, pressure cook for 10 minutes and add 1 cup of water. Let the pressure release naturally and use the back of the spoon to mush it completely.
  2. Also, there are recipes in which coconut paste made from grated coconut, cumin seeds, green chilies, and rice flour is added to the cooked cabbage and chana dal mixture. An example would be this recipe from Rakskitchen
Read the post...For helpful information on ingredient swaps, storage tips, meal prep ideas, and variations!

Disclaimer: Approximate nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and can vary depending on the exact ingredients/brands used. If you have health issues, please work with a registered dietician or nutritionist.

Nutrition

Calories: 153kcalCarbohydrates: 25gProtein: 5gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 3gSodium: 99mgPotassium: 208mgFiber: 9gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 103IUVitamin C: 48mgCalcium: 87mgIron: 1mg
Diet: Gluten-free, Vegan
Course: Side Dish
Method: Instant Pot
Keywords: cabbage, Quick, stir fry
Cuisine: Indian
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5 from 2 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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2 Comments

  1. Nice recipe but slightly confusing as garlic is not mentioned in the ingredients and water amount is one place 1/2 a cup for soaking the Dal and then Dal is added to the pot along with water it seems and later does not say what to do with 3/4 cup of water !!!???

    1. I apologize, Shakun. I have fixed the recipe to include 2 cloves of garlic and I removed the 3/4 cup water.