Cabbage Curry takes the humble, budget-friendly cabbage and transforms it into a silky, creamy and utterly delicious curry. I know that some of you only associate cabbage with coleslaw, sauerkraut or the steamed, stuffed rolls that many of us grew up with. But the relatively slow cooking of the cabbage turns this ubiquitous and inexpensive vegetable into a star.
About the only vegetable that I am not wild about is okra. So when I came across the Cabbage Curry on Rainbow Plant Life, it didn’t take any persuading to get me to try it. I didn’t think, however, that I would be making it as a Shabbat dinner. But accompanied by salatim, the Cabbage Curry made for a lovely, delicious and festive meal. An added bonus for me was that no animal had to die so that we could celebrate this weekly holiday.
I have always thought that Middle Eastern/North African and South Asian food complimented one another. So having the main dish be a curry and the sides be Middle Eastern, with everything accompanied by my husband’s wonderful challah worked beautifully. When making another culture’s food, I try to be respectful, but I’m also not afraid to play around a bit.
Whether you make this Cabbage Curry as a weeknight dinner or as part of a holiday meal, you won’t be disappointed. And no one will think that you skimped on the meal just because you used this budget-friendly main course. So in one dish, you tastebuds will sing and so will your wallet. You can’t ask for more than that!
For more wonderful Vegetable Curries:
Cauliflower Spinach Tofu Curry
Roasted Cauliflower Lentil Curry
Kidney Bean Curry (Rajma Paneer)
Thai Style Yellow Curry with Sweet Potato
For Chicken and Fish Curries:
Bene Israel Fish Curry with Fresh Ginger, Tamarind and Cilantro
RECIPE
YIELD: 4 to 6 generous servings, depending on sides
NOTE: Have everything prepped before you begin cooking!dd the serrano pepper and garlic
INGREDIENTS
2 Tablespoons of a neutral oil (I like Avocado)
4 fat cloves of garlic, peeled and minced
1 to 3 serrano pepper, de-seeded and finely chopped (I’m happy using one)
8 cups green (also called white) cabbage, core and tough outer leaves removed, shredded or thinly sliced (I used 3/4 of a 2-pound cabbage)
Kosher salt (preferably Diamond Crystal) and freshly cracked black pepper
2 Tablespoons tomato paste
2 teaspoons Kashmiri chili powder (I LOVE the slightly smokey, gentle heat from this pepper and use it on so many things. It is easily available online if you don’t have access to an Indian grocery store.)
1.5 teaspoons rounded ground coriander
1.5 teaspoons rounded ground cumin
3/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
8 ounces ripe tomatoes, seeds removed and finely chopped (You could use canned if ripe ones aren’t available or you don’t have any on hand.)
About 400 ml of a full-fat coconut milk
4 cups of cooked chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 Tablespoons unsweetened almond or cashew butter
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 lime, juiced
1 cup of fresh cilantro, leaves and tender stems, chopped
DIRECTIONS
Mix together the cumin, turmeric, coriander, Kashmiri chili and tomato paste. Set aside.
Heat the oil in a large (12-inch) deep skillet or Dutch oven until shimmering. Add the serrano pepper(s) and garlic to the hot oil and stir almost constantly for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Do not allow the garlic to brown.
Next add the cabbage. Using tongs, try to coat all of the cabbage with the oil, garlic and pepper(s). Season with a 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and cook, stirring frequently for 12 minutes. You can add a splash or two of water if things look as if they are dry or might stick to the bottom of the pan. The cabbage should become silky and have some browning spots appearing.
Once the cabbage has reached the yummy stage, add in the spice mix, stirring to coat the cabbage for about 2 minutes. If things are looking a bit dry, add a few more splashes of water.
It’s time to add in the tomatoes. Mix through and cook for 5 minutes until they are softened and almost melting into the cabbage.
The curry is ready for the chickpeas, almond butter, coconut milk and another 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt. Mix everything through and cook uncovered for 18 minutes, stirring every few minutes. The sauce will thicken, so if you have left-overs or are making this ahead, you will likely want to add some additional coconut milk or water to reheat the curry.
Add in the garam masala and juice from 1/2 of the lime and cook for 2 to 3 more minutes. Give things a taste and adjust with more salt or lime juice if necessary. (I didn’t add anything.)
Just before serving, add in the chopped cilantro, reserving a little to sprinkle over each serving for presentation.
I served this over rice and with a dollop of homemade yogurt. To keep the dish vegan, either don’t add any yogurt or use a plant-based yogurt. Since we eat a lot of South Asian food, I had 3 chutneys on hand, including my own cranberry orange relish that I make for thanksgiving! If it hadn’t been Shabbat, I would have also made naan to accompany the curry, although the challah was actually perfect. The sweetness of the challah played off beautifully with the curry spices and the soft bread was perfect for soaking up every last bit of the delicious sauce.
