In Yellow and Green

The Green: BROCCOLI MALLUM

Broccoli is a versatile vegetable but it tastes best with a minimum amount of cooking, like in stir-fries. So why not a ‘mallung/mallum’, usually a shredded-leaf dish that's cooked for a few minutes. So here’s a mallum adapted from Chandra Dissanayake’s ‘Ceylon Cookery’ book for ‘Mukunuwenna Mallum’.

Used broccoli as I didn’t have mukunuwenna – a popular green weed that is still sold door-to-door by ‘greens’ hawkers, in Colombo. I like this dish because it doesn’t use oil. And I make it in bulk to freeze for weekday dinners.

What you’ll need:

1 to 1½ kg broccoli

2 sprigs curry leaves

4-6 green chillies, chopped (or 1-2 teaspoons crushed chillies)

1 cup desiccated coconut, rehydrated with half a cup of water

1 red onion

1 teaspoon turmeric

2-3 teaspoons salt

What to do:

In a food-processor, finely chop broccoli and onion together. Then into a saucepan, add broccoli-onion mixture, curry leaves, re-hydrated desiccated coconut, chillies, turmeric and salt. Dry fry (no oil) for a few minutes until the broccoli is done.   

The Yellow: CABBAGE MALLUM

I once served this cabbage mallum with string hoppers but it tastes just as good with rice. Best of all it’s on and off the stove in minutes. Again this is a favourite from the ‘Ceylon Cookery’ book by Chandra Dissanayake.

What you’ll need:

* 250g cabbage

* ¼ teaspoon turmeric

* ½ cup desiccated coconut

* 1 sprig curry leaves

* 1 small onion

* 2 dried red chillies, broken into bits

* 1 teaspoon mustard powder

* ½ teaspoon pepper

* 1 teaspoon salt

* ¼ cup of water or less (I don’t use any)

What to do: 

Shred cabbage and onion together in a food processor. Empty cabbage mixture into a saucepan. Add curry leaves, salt and water, if using. Cook for a few minutes. Then add coconut and spices. Stir for a few minutes more and take off fire. I generally add all the ingredients in one go and take off the fire after a few minutes.