Cabbage ambado/vada and a dosa!!

One thing I always ask my hubby after preparing something is -"how's it..??"He'll say,"yeah its ok/good/nice" depending on his mood.Next question-"Does it taste like your mom's food??"Pat comes the answer-"No..something's missing,but its nice anyway..!!"Then I will get upset and say,"yeah obviously-I made it,so how will it taste like your mom's?"Him-"Then why do you ask"-blah blah blah..do I need to say anything else on this..??;-) No offense meant to my ma-in-law or my hubby,but that's just the way it is.I keep telling him that I hope when I have kids they too say that thier mom's food is the best..ah bliss!!

Cabbage ambado is my hubby's favourite.I have to agree that my ma-in-law makes the best ambado's in the world..!!Can't find fault when hubby says something's missing!!I have accepted that fact and have tried to make this recipe just like she makes-step by step.He had a smile on his face this Ugadi,when I made this for lunch.I did not ask him how it tasted..he ate it without saying anything..with a grin.So I think I am ..getting there..!!Or so it seems!!

Cabbage ambado/vada/pakoda

Ingredients

Cabbage - 1/2 of one cabbage-finely chopped
Onions - 2 medium-finely chopped
Raw rice - 3/4 cup
Toor dal - 1/4 cup
Grated coconut - 2 tbsp
Roasted red chillies - 6-8
Tamarind- small channa size
Hing/asafoetida - 1 tbsp
Salt to taste
Oil for frying

Method

Soak raw rice and toor dal together for about 2-3 hours.
Grind red chillies,coconut,tamarind and salt to a fine paste.
Add rice-dal mix and grind again.
It should be ground coarsely.
Remove from mixie/grinder to a big pan.
Add hing and chopped cabbage and onions.
Mix well with hand for about 2 minutes till cabbage-onions absorb the masala well.
Keep aside for 15 minutes.
In a kadai,pour oil and let it heat well.
Make small balls of cabbage-onion-masala and flatten a little.
Pour into oil one by one and fry on both sides till done.
Keep on medium flame so that the insides get well cooked too.
Relish with rice and dali thoi or just as a snack!!

As I said in my sanna polo post,the same masala can be made for making dosas too.Dilute the mix a little by adding water and make it to dosa consistency.Make dosas and cabbage-onion dosas are ready too!!
One more dosa to Srivalli's Dosa mela!!

Check out the much awaited Dosa mela round up here-Part 1,Part 2,Part 3.