"Appetizers"-Steamed Cabbage and Carrot Rolls

This morning was pretty relaxed as 'E' did not have to go to school today(He goes only 3 times a week) and also mainly because...we had left overs from last night and therefore did not need to cook for lunch today.Last night made 'Pav Bhaji' for dinner. Whenever I make Pav Bhaji ,'M' always reminds me to make it sufficient atleast for 2 meals.Reasons for that-Well...

It's one of his favorites ... so eating it once doesn't satisfy his 'craving' for Pav Bhaji.Secondly, pav bhaji tastes better the next day...all the flavors marinate and come together well....and lastly...it saves 'cooking' the next day! How thoughtful is that!

So, I had some time on hand...and I decided to experiment on Cabbage I had in the refrigerator.

The whole idea behind these rolls was...kind of 'fusion' of 2 recipes or cuisines. First one is the 'Alu chi vaadi'/Patra Rolls' made in Maharashtra with Colocasia leaves.The second inspiration was 'Paula Deen's (Food Network)Cabbage rolls stuffed with meat.

I used the ingredients that are used to make Patra rolls but used Cabbage leaves instead of Colocasia leaves and instead of using any meat (as in Paula's Cabbage rolls),I used carrots and besan.

There were some modifications I had to do to make Cabbage 'work' like Patra in this recipe-like boiling the cabbage leaves prior to making the rolls and trimming the stems to make the leaf more pliable.

The rolls came out pretty good (Making them was a bit messy though)...and they tasted really delicious after shallow frying (like patra rolls).To my surprise even 'E' liked those!

Here is the recipe of my experimentation:

Ingredients:

1) 4 Whole Cabbage leaves

2) 1/4 cup Carrots(Julienne cut) Fancy name hmm...i.e cut thinly into strips!

3) 3/4 cup besan/gram flour

4) 1/2 tsp sesame seeds

5) 1/2 tsp ginger garlic paste

6) 1/4tsp tamarind extract

7) 1/4tsp jaggery

8) 1/4tsp Chili powder

9) 1/4tsp Ajwain seeds

10) 1/4tsp turmeric powder

11) Oil to fry

12) Salt to taste

Method:

1) In a big pot keep water for boiling. Carefully cut 4 whole cabbage leaves from a cabbage head.

Immerse them in boiling water for 3-4 mins just to soften them and make them pliable.

2) Mean time make a thick paste of besan,chili powder,sesame seeds, turmeric, ajwain, salt, tamarind and jaggery.The paste should be thick enough to coat the leaf surface.It should taste spicy, and little sweet-sour.

3) Take out the cabbage leaves from water.Let them cool a little bit.With a sharp knife,carefully trip the backside if the cabbage stem.(So that it becomes thin like leaves and easy to roll later)

4) Keep the biggest leaf on flat surface.Apply the besan paste on the inside of the leaf evenly.

5) Keep the next leaf on top of the pasted leaf.Repeat the same and stack the leaves on top of each other.

6) On the last leaf,spread the besan paste and the julienned carrots.

7) From the edges,start rolling the leaves into a big roll

8)Stick the edges with besan batter

9) Oil a plate/pan, and keep the roll on it.Steam the roll in a cooker( without whistle) for about 15 mins.Let it cool

10) Cut the roll horizontally into discs.

11) Shallow fry the rolls/discs in oil till golden brown.

12) Serve hot with ketchup.