Here is a recipe for simple yet flavorful braised cabbage. I was reminded of this recipe lying in the to blog list when I saw Alex's Day Off on foodnetwork today. She had an Indian menu which include braised cabbage and I remembered my own version.
Even though the title says Indian style, I have to specify further. This is a North Indian style braised cabbage. The spices used to flavor this are what make this dish primarily north-indian. But in these days of globalization ( in this case nationalization I guess) it's just easier to term it as an Indian dish.
Braising - It is a cooking method which uses both moist and dry heat. The vegetable ( or meat ) is seared or browned in oil and then cooked on low heat in a covered pot. This is how I like to cook my cabbage instead of boiling it first (how most people cook their cabbage). I feel that boiling not only brings out the notorious 'cabbage smell' but it also makes the cabbage watery and difficult to flavor in later stages.
Quick and Easy Braised Cabbage
Ingredients:
- 1/2 head of cabbage, chopped
- 2 medium sized tomatoes, chopped
- 1-2 tablespoons of oil
- 1 teaspoon cumin (whole)
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 1 teaspoon chilli powder ( or hot paprika if you prefer mild)
- salt to taste
Heat oil in a wok or kadahi (or dutch oven). Add the cumin seeds once the oil is hot, the seeds should sputter and jump around. Lower heat, add the turmeric and cabbage and stir well to coat the cabbage evenly with the oil. The heat should be medium high at this point to give the cabbage a chance to get brown. Stay by the stove and keep stirring once every minute, so that the cabbage doesn't burn. Let it brown evenly then add about 1/2 teaspoon of salt to bring out the moisture from the cabbage. Stir, cover and cook on low heat for 7 - 10 minutes. Uncover and stir occasionally to avoid discoloration. Now add the chopped tomatoes, another 1/2 -1 tsp of salt and stir well. Cover again and let simmer for 7-10 minutes. The tomatoes will render out all their juices and the cabbage will simmer in that liquid. If the tomatoes don't have much juice, add about 1/3 cup of water. After the 10 minutes the tomatoes will be soft and mushy and the cabbage should be cooked through. Check for salt at this time. If the cabbage is not done to your preference, give it a couple more minutes. Once done, add the chilli pd or paprika and stir well. Let it stay on low heat for 2-3 more minutes. This allows the chilli to lose the raw taste and also to let it seep into the cabbage mixture. Take off the heat and garnish with chopped fresh cilantro (coriander leaves) or scallions.
Serve with hot rice, chapathis or parathas, with a side of fresh salaad (not typical salad- just cucumbers, radishes and carrots sprinkled with salt and lemon juice.See picture below).
