Punjabi Cabbage

 
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This is an intensely flavorful cabbage recipe gifted to me by a family friend and it makes a perfect side dish with some rice and curried lentils. The best bit is that it’s super quick. You can go from fridge to plate in under 15 minutes if you’re skilled on the cutting board.

The recipe below makes a lot, maybe 6 to 8 portions depending on how hungry you are, so unless you’re cooking for guests, you may want to halve all the measurements.

Ingredients

  • 1 white or yellow onion, chopped

  • 1 clove garlic, minced

  • 1 inch piece of ginger, grated, or 1 tsp powdered ginger

  • 4 tablespoons of coconut oil (substitute for any other plain vegetable oil if you don’t have this, but not olive oil as the flavor won’t work.)

  • 1 tsp cumin seed

  • 1 tsp ground turmeric

  • 1 medium head of cabbage, chopped. (If I gave you half a cabbage in your box this week, that was from a large head and it is the right amount for this recipe)

  • 1/2 tsp ground black pepper

  • 1/2 tsp salt

  • 2 tsp ground cumin (this gives a different flavor than the whole cumin seed and you need both)

  • 1 tsp ground coriander

  • 1/4 to 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (optional, but a great addition if you like spicy food)

  • 1 Tbsp butter

Method

  1. Saute the onion, garlic and ginger in the oil, stirring occasionally until the onion begins to soften (3 to 4 minutes)

  2. Stir in the cumin seed and turmeric and cook for 1 more minute

  3. Add cabbage and all the other spices and cook on low, partially covered for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the butter and serve.

If you are using red cabbage you may want to cook for an extra 2 to 3 minutes as it’s usually thicker and tougher, but will work just as well. Cook and taste occasionally until it has reached your desired tenderness, but the recipe works best if it still has a little crunch.

 
Andrew Williamson