I am a huge fan of cabbage. Along with potatoes it is one of my favorite vegetables. I especially love fried cabbage. This recipe for Indian Spiced Cabbage is especially tasty and a recipe I posted several years back.
Good things bear repeating however, and I felt this was worthy of another look.
The original recipe comes from my Big Blue Binder. I believe I copied it from an old community cookbook from Nova Scotia that I took out of the library many years ago. It might have been called Nova Scotia Pot Luck, but I can't be really certain of it.
I don't know who it is accredited to originally, but I can assure you that it is a really delicious way to prepare cabbage.
It uses fairly simple ingredients that most people have in their homes, with the exception of the Garam Masala. I am fairly certain, however, that if you don't have the Garam Masala in your home, you would have at least the ingredients to make your own.
Garam Masala is deliciously aromatic mix of spices used to bring flavor and warmth to many Indian dishes. If you are a person who loves curries, you will be sure to use it up. I have included below the recipe and instructions to make your own. The spices themselves smell heavenly when they are toasting, and it is very simple make.
One thing that I learned living in the UK was that it was not worth buying a ready made Garam Masala. It is much, much better to make your own, and if you have a spice/coffee grinder, it really makes short work of the whole process.
Author: Marie Rayner
Garam Masala
prep time: 3 minscook time: 3 minstotal time: 6 minsAn Indian Spice mix for use in East Indian cookery.ingredients:
2 TBS coriander seed1 TBS cumin seed2 tsp black peppercorn1/2 cinnamon stick (or 2 tsp ground cinnamon)1/2 tsp cardamon seeds (from about 20 cardamom pods)1 tsp fennel seed1/2 tsp whole cloves2 dried bay leavesinstructions:
Toasting the seeds is the secret to a well flavoured Garam Masala. Don'tbe tempted to skip this step. Toast the whole spices in a dry frying
pan until they are very fragrant and a shade or two darker. Tip into a
spice grinder and grind to a powder. Alternately you can use a pestle
and mortar. (Labour intensive but it works) Store in an airtight
container in a dark place for up to six months.Created using The Recipes Generator
This dish is also very easy to make. It is easy, spicy and chock full of delicious flavors. The hardest and most labor intensive part is the shredding of the cabbage. I always like to do this by hand. If you have a good sharp knife it won't take very long.
I like to use white cabbage for this recipe rather than any other kind. It lends itself beautifully to the long cook time and I really love the melting, almost buttery texture of it when it has finished cooking.
You can use whatever cabbage you prefer, however I cannot speak for the end result. I have only ever used the bullet hard white cabbage for this.
White cabbage is one of the most common ones in the shops and readily available everywhere. Its just ordinary every day cabbage.
It makes a great Indian side dish when you are cooking an Indian meal. You can make it ahead of time and just heat it up at the last minute.
Leftovers are lovely stirred through cooked rice and reheated. (Just saying.) And I am not going to tell you how I know this, but . . . it makes a darned delicious egg roll filler. Indian egg rolls. Very delicious!
You can also turn this into a heartier dish by adding cubed potato and peas to it.
It also goes very well with soft fluffy Naan breads or Chapati.
Interestingly enough, I have found it to also be a very popular dish at a covered dish or pot luck supper. Everyone seems to love it, and I always come home with an empty dish.
I am not sure how authentically Indian it is. I am no expert at that. It is probably not very, but that doesn't really matter as it is fabulously tasty!
One thing I will miss about the UK are the fabulous curries that were available. I guess I will just have to get better at making my own at home. Of course I will have to wait until I am in my own place because I don't think my father will be touching curry with a ten foot pole!
Its a shame really because he doesn't know what he is missing. I adore curries of any kind, so long as they are not overly hot and spicy. I was never quite able to get into a Masala or a Vindaloo! I don't like food that bites back really.
Anyways, this is nicely spiced, not too hot and incredibly delicious. If you are used to eating Southern style fried cabbage with bacon, maybe its time you stretched things a bit and tried something new! I think you may come to love this just as much!
Yield: 4 - 6Author: Marie Rayner
Indian Spiced Cabbage
prep time: 10 minscook time: 2 hourtotal time: 2 hours and 10 minsA deliciously spiced side dish with East Indian flavours. I could eat a whole bowlful of this and nothing else.ingredients:
1 medium head green cabbage, shredded finely1/3 tsp cumin seeds2 tsp salt1 1/2 tsp ground turmeric2 tsp mild chili powder2 tsp garam masala (store bought or make your own, preferable)2 tsp black peppersunflower oilinstructions:
In a large pot,heat oil to cover the bottom (1/4
inch deep) until it begins to shimmer. Add the cumin seeds and cook for
about 30 seconds until it begins to pop and smell fragrant. Add the
remaining spices, seasonings and the cabbage, tossing to coat the
cabbage in the spice/oil mixture. Cover and cook gently, over very low
heat, for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until the cabbage is meltingly tender. Serve
hot.
Created using The Recipes Generator
This is so very good you just may want to double the recipe. I often do and I can tell you its always always been gobbled up. No leftovers per se.
I hope you will try it and enjoy it as much as we do! Bon Appetit!
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