“Cabbage Muddo Tori Dali ani Tandulu ghalnu/ Steamed Cabbage Spiced Idly with Tuvar Dal and Rice” … a traditional spicy steamed Idly type side dish from GSB Konkani Saraswat Cuisine prepared in Keli panna cholko (banana leaves) and served during meals … Yummilicious ….
** Muddo is a dish that can be prepared both spicy and sweet with different ingredients and is one of GSB amchies favorite. You can steam them in khotte paan (jackfruit leaves) prepared baskets, badam leaves, haldi paan (turmeric leaves), keli paana cholko (banana leaves) or in idly donne (vati/ molds) or as ramdana (in a round cake tins) too. The mixture is the same and the steaming procedure too, yet they are referred to in different names as is the mold used, like when prepared in leaves as packets its referred to as muddo, while in prepared leaf baskets as khotto and in vati as idly.
** I have included all methods of preparations in my blog in different combinations and will be sharing a common link below which you can browse through and choose to follow any type of combo you prefer or the molds that are available or are in access to you. Whenever I attend functions if I find that the excess banana leaves are kept aside to discard, I request and bring them home and prepare muddo in them as I just hate wastage of any sort. This time I prepared with addition of cabbage only as it was No onion- garlic day, however, you can add in onions too which tastes awesome.
** Here is my recipe for “Cabbage Muddo Tori Dali ani Tandulu ghalnu/ Steamed Cabbage Spiced Idly with Tuvar Dal and Rice” traditional GSB style which I learnt from my Amma … do give it a try, tastes Yumz.
** Wash and soak 1 cup heaped tori dali/ tuvar dal in plenty of water for about 2 hours. Drain off all water, rinse well changing water few times and put in an colander for all excess water to get drained off properly.
** Soak 2 cups of Idly rava/ rice rava (readily available in grocery stores) in plenty of water for 30 minutes (Optional, you can use directly too). However, soaking gives it a softer texture, so if you have the time please do so. Tilt the vessel and gently drain off the excess water collected on top of the rava if any and its ready for use.
** Note : If not using Idly rava or if it is not available in your vicinity do not worry, you can always wash and soak 2 cups of normal rice for 2 hrs. Strain well and then grind it to a coarse rava texture too and keep it ready for use.
** Finely chop about 2-3 cups of cabbage, rinse under running water and keep it aside in a colander for the excess water to drain off completely. If using onions, peel and finely chop them and keep them ready aside too.
** Note : I have not added onions this time as it was a No Onion- Garlic day for us otherwise I do add them. In case you are adding the onions, see to it that onions and cabbage mixed together is about 2-3 cups.
** Masala to be Ground : Grind to a fine paste 1 heaped cup of freshly grated coconut (soyi/ nariyal) along with 10-12 Kashmiri red chillies (kumte mirsanga/ byadgi Mirchi) and a small marble sized piece of tamarind (chinchama/ imly) ball with as little water as possible. Remove and keep it aside ready.
** In the same mixer grinder add in the drained tuvar dal and grind to rava textured paste without adding water, just keep mixing in between and grind the same, don’t worry, it does get ground well if you follow this patter. The same method should be used for grinding of rice if not using Idly rava, otherwise you can just mix it.
** Wipe keli paana/ banana leaves with a clean wet towel and allow to dry. Cut them into squares of about 6” x 6” taking care to see that you cut out the thick center stem. Keep them ready aside in all you may need about 10-12 or more pieces depending upon the amount of mixture prepared.
** Note : Do see to it that you have sufficient leaves for preparing muddo, leftovers can always be used to prepare bhakri (mumbri) etc. However if there is shortage, just put remaining in bowl, steam and then cut them to pieces.
** In a large bowl add the ground masala paste, ground tuvar dal, drained Idly rava or ground rice, finely chopped cabbage (and onions if using), 2 tsp of hing (asafoetida) powder and salt (namak/ meeta) to taste. Mix all the ingredients together adding water as is necessary to form a thick balling consistency soft mixture as that of rulava bhakri. Cover and keep it aside for sometime, say about 20 minutes.
** Note : The mixture on resting soaks well and absorbs moisture, if too dry you can add some water later after checking if necessary while preparing. We need the texture to be such that, there should be absolutely no trace of water leaving through the sides as we are going to use banana leaves here for steaming and not vati/ molds. Molds hold in water intact while steaming while the banana leaves will not and the masala water while steaming should not leak out through the openings which will not only turn into a mess but may remain uncooked within the center of the muddo too.
** Now arrange the banana leaves cut to squares in a row or 2 rows on table/ platform. Take in a large handful of the mixture and put it in the center of each square of the leaves. Leave out about ½” on above and below side. Now flip over the left side on top of the mixture and then the right side too forming an envelope.
** Note : I have shared in a link below of muddo where in there are step by step pictures included, which will help you understand the procedure better if you are a newbie. Do check it out thoroughly before you begin with laying them.
** Keep the steaming vessel/ pedavan with required amount of water and bring to a boil. When you see steam passing, keep a flat plate or the divider plate of the vessel and then place the prepared banana leaves packets/ muddo one by one neatly on a row slightly overlapping each other compactly.
** Take care and see that you handle the packets gently as the sides are open and the mixture should not come out of it. Also be careful of the steam, as a cautionary measure lower the heat to minimum when you place the packets. When you place them see to it that the upper folds are placed as bottom side, as this will help the packets to get tightly covered and there are no chances of them opening up.
** Once a single row of banana leaves packets are placed cover steamer with lid, increase the heat to high and cook for 3-4 minutes, after which lower the heat to medium and let cook for another 0 mins. Once again lower the heat to minimum and open the lid and place the remaining prepared packets in similar manner as a second layer this time placing them in slight titled 40 deg. angle to the first one.
** Once again cover the lid, raise the heat and cook on high for 3-4 minutes, then lower the heat to medium and cook all together for another 15-20 minutes. When done remove from fire, open the lid and let the steam pass away for a minute. Then gently with the help of long flat spatula lift each muddo gently and place them on a wide plate and let it cool down of a few minutes after which you can serve the same.
** Note : It is important not to place all the prepared muddo packets in one go in two layers as then all of them will not get steamed withing properly. Always steam the single layer of muddo packets first for about 10 minutes, then place the rest and continue to steam. This method is used in case of all types of muddo where is leaves are used as mold packing.
** For serving you just need to gently open up the banana leaves and then gently remove the muddo from it, which will have been well steam cooked as a single large piece dumpling. You can either cut them into 2” pieces or larger and serve it or as per your choice, we usually serve it as it is in single pieces. That is the very reason some people use smaller square cuts of the leaves to get appropriate sizes.
** “Cabbage Muddo Tori Dali ani Tandulu ghalnu/ Steamed Cabbage Spiced Idly with Tuvar Dal and Rice” is done and ready to be served. Serve them hot drizzled on top with coconut oil (narlel tela/ nariyal tel) for best taste. Though it is a matter of choice if you are avoiding excess consumption of oil, however do give it a try once. In GSB Konkani Saraswat homes we serve them during lunchtime with dalitoy, rice and upkari or any other dish and it just tastes simply scrumptious.
** Note : Though the taste is enhanced with addition of tuvar dal ground to rava texture, you may skip it out if desired too and add on only Idly Rava/ Rice rava or ground rice. The same too tastes great and there are times when I do so if I forget to soak the dal or in a hurry in which case I just soak the idly rava for 20 minutes and continue with the rest of the method in similar manner, it works out fine too.
** Note : If you do not have banana leaves or they are not available in your vicinity, you can prepare the same in molds too. You can use, Idly vati, large flat vessel, Jackfruit leaves basket, paper cup with jackfruit leaves method or you can put it in a bowl which is covered on the base with jackfruit leaves. Choose any method you prefer. Adding in the links to the same below, do check in for the same.
** You can check out the following link of muddo, for step by step pictures …
** Do browse through the common link to muddo recipes shared below, there are plenty of them prepared with various combos and using different molds too …
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Thanks.