The cabbage, like the cauliflower and kohlrabi, belongs to the brassica oleracea species that grows well in cool weather. Introduced in India around 1850 for use by the colonizers, it has seamlessly become a staple in Indian kitchens and popular with vegetarians. We have incorporated this species into our daily meals in the form of sabzis, or stuffing in parathas, rolls, and samosas, added to stir fry veggies, and also in rice. Aai makes a spicy kobi bhaat or cabbage rice on special occasions as it is very delicious and also balances the sweet entrées of festive meals.

One head of cabbage can go a long way here in the US as they come only in L, XL, or XXL sizes and we could be eating cabbage for days. In India, you can ask your sabzi-wala for half or a quarter of the cabbage head and it can be finished in one go. Even when I buy the smallest head of cabbage here, I need to plan for making it several different ways over the next few days, in sabzis, rice, rolls, salads, etc. My go-to recipes usually are a cabbage-peas-potatoes sabzi or a cabbage-coconut sabzi followed by cabbage rice.

This is a very simple sabzi flavored mainly with freshly ground coriander seeds, coconut, and dried red chilies. I usually serve it with rice and sambar or with plain rotis and dal. I also go a little heavy on the coriander seeds as I just love their fragrance and texture.

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Step by Step

1. Cut a cabbage head in half and then in quarters.
2. Thinly slice or chop approximately 2 cups of raw cabbage with a knife and place it in a colander. Rinse thoroughly under running water and let drain.
3. Heat a pan and add
   • 1 tbsp coriander seeds
   • 2 dried red chillies
4. Sauté till the seeds are warm and release their earthy aroma.
5. Remove from the pan and place the seeds and chillies in a mortar or on a chopping board.
6. Allow to cool a bit and then coarsely crush the spices with a pestle or with a rolling pin.

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7. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan
8. Add 1 tsp mustard seeds, cover the pan and allow them to sputter and crackle.
9. When the mustard seeds are done crackling, remove the lid and add
   • 1 tsp cumin seeds
   • 1/4 tsp asafetida
   • 6-7 fresh curry leaves if available
10. Then add the crushed coriander seeds and red chillies and sauté the tempering for 10 seconds.
11. Add the washed and drained cabbage
12. 1/2 cup fresh or frozen grated coconut
13. 1.5 tsp salt
14. Mix everything gently, cover and turn the heat to low.
15. Let the sabzi cook on a low flame, stir every 3-4 minutes.
16. When the cabbage is done, it will become transparent, bite into a piece to check that it is soft. Approximately 8-10 mins.
17. Turn off the heat and let stand for a few minutes.
18. Serve hot with rice, dal or sambar or with hot rotis.

Some Tips

Some cabbages tend to release more water. In that case, once the sabzi is cooked, remove the lid and allow the excess water to cook off and evaporate. You will need to be vigilant to avoid burning the cabbage. Once most of the water has dried up, turn off the heat and let stand for a few minutes before serving.