Take a frying pan and heat it on a medium flame on your gas stove. When it is hot enough, put 3 tsp of white oil in it. When the oil heats up, put 6 to 8 whole dry red chilies without their stalk in them and stir them continuously to dry them nicely. (Pro tip: You can use any type of white oil for the chutney. As for the number of dry red chilies, you can increase or decrease the number according to your taste preferences).

Now, add 1 small piece or half of a medium-sized cabbage (chopped roughly), 2 pieces of onions (chopped roughly), 1 piece of fresh green chili, and 1 piece of fresh ginger of about 1-inch size (deskinned and cut roughly) in the pan. Sauté them for about 5 to 6 minutes until they are cooked nicely. (Pro tip: The single piece of green chili added here is mainly to enhance the taste and flavor of the cabbage chutney. If you want it to be spicier, you can add a couple of more green chilies to it).

Now, add 2 pieces of fresh ripe tomatoes, cut roughly, to the ingredients in the pan. Mix everything nicely and let it cook for about a minute or two. (Pro tip: Check that the onions turn translucent and the cabbage soft and supple.).

Now, add 1 tsp of regular table salt to the ingredients and mix it nicely.

Stir the ingredients continuously for about 2 to 3 minutes more so that they reduce and change their color to light golden brown. At this stage, turn the flame of your gas stove off and let the ingredients cool down completely at room temperature. (Pro tip: You can cover the pan for a minute as well if you want the ingredients to cook fast. For faster cooling, you can transfer the cooked ingredients to a separate plate. This will stop the cooking process due to the heat of the frying pan).

Now, transfer the ingredients to a clean mixer grinder only when the ingredients have cooled down completely. (Pro tip: Cooling the ingredients completely is very crucial because the heat of it as well as the heat generated by the rotating motors of the mixer grinder will affect the eventual color of the cabbage chutney).

Now, grind it to a fine and smooth paste without adding any water initially. Transfer the paste to a bowl if you are satisfied with the consistency and keep it aside. If you are not, add some water and blend it again. (Pro tip: Do not add water initially because if you add too much of water you will not be able to take it back and the paste will be too runny. It is better to add water gradually and blend it every time after adding it in short intervals. This will prevent heat build-up as well).

Now, prepare the tempering ingredients for the chutney. Take a tadka pan, heat it on a medium flame, and put 2 tsp of white oil in it. When the oil heats up, put ½ tsp of mustard seeds in it. When the mustard seeds stop spluttering and ½ tsp of split black lentil (urad dal) in it. When the urad dal comes to a boil, add 10 to 12 pieces of fresh curry leaves in it. Cook them for about 10 to 15 seconds more. (Pro tip: Be careful at this point because the mustard seeds will start crackling and sprinkling hot oil).

Now, pour the tempering ingredients to the bowl containing the chutney paste immediately.

Mix all the ingredients nicely and your tasty, homemade cabbage chutney is ready to be served with rice, roti, idli, dosa, and a variety of other dishes.