Indian-style cabbage with lentils
Posted by kathryn in Vegetables, Recipes, Winter and Vegan
I know the words “cabbage” and “lentils” don’t get everyone excited, but don’t let this put you off. Home alone for the past couple of weeks, I’ve been cooking this recipe a lot. It’s quick, tasty, filling and very satisfying.
My starting point was this excellent recipe from Michael of Herbivoracious. It’s a lovely side, which I’ve coupled with dhal and other beany things.
However, as I mentioned, at the moment I’m cooking for one and not in the mood to make multiple dishes. Which is why I’ve made a few tweaks to the original recipe, to make it more of a meal.
Hearty and delicious, this is a lovely vegetable-heavy dinner. In fact, with two cups of cabbage and the lentils, this one meal gives you your full five servings for the day. Plus it’s a tasty way to use up cabbage, not everyone’s favourite vegetable.
Indian-style Cabbage with Lentils
Serves 1
1 tablespoon (20ml) canola oil
2 teaspoons mustard seeds
1 dried red chilli
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
2 cups (packed) cabbage cut into ½ cm strips
¼ cup (60ml) red lentils
Cook the spices: Place a wok or frying pan (see note below) over a medium-high heat. Once the wok is hot pour in the canola oil and swirl this around the pan. Add the mustard seeds and chilli. As soon as these start to pop add in the cumin, turmeric and ginger. Give the pan a quick stir and then add in the cabbage and a pinch of salt.
Cook the cabbage and lentils: Stir fry the cabbage for about 4 minutes, until it starts to wilt slightly and look less raw. Then add the lentils and stir through the cabbage. Push the cabbage and lentils to the bottom of the pan and add ¾ cup (180ml) water. Cover with a lid and cook on a medium heat for 7 – 8 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent the lentils from sticking. You want the lentils to be cooked, but still retain their shape.
Cooking & Storage Notes:
- You’ll need a wok or wide based frying pan, with a lid. I use my wok in combination with the lid from a large saucepan.
- From beginning to end this recipe takes me about 15 minutes, a bit more if I also cook some rice to go with the meal.
- I’d advise you to get all your ingredients ready in advance, as once you start cooking you have to move quickly.
- I imagine this meal would store quite well in the fridge overnight (although I haven’t actually tried this yet).
- Don’t put your leftovers in the freezer, as cabbage doesn’t like it.
Variations:
- While I’ve given the measurements for one, it’s easy to up-scale the quantities if you want to feed more people.
- This meal is also delicious topped with a squeeze of lime juice and a sprinkling of fresh coriander.
17 August, 2011
Comments
i have had a craving for just this as autumn looms. Even quicker with a little pot of dal from the freezer.
Oh yes Grace, I’ve used Michael’s original recipe quite a few times with dal from the freezer – the combination makes a lovely meal.
Ooooo, I used to HATE opening my school lunchbox when Mummy would give this !! Absolutely hated cabbage (and as a strange extension, cauliflower) as a child. Now, I think I can just about tolerate it (if eaten with some tasty parathas and cool fresh curd)… But I think the best way to eat it is the mixed salad (we call it koshimbir) my mother makes – finely chop/grate cabbage + carrots + onions + cucumber + tomatoes + chillies + coriander + anything else you want to add in (say fenugreek or spinach) and season with salt + pepper + lime + chaat masala. DELICIOUS !!! Stays in the fridge for two days (if you can stop eating it)
Thanks for this wonderful recipe! I’m always on the lookout for tasty lentil recipes.
Depending on how they’re prepared cabbage and lentils often do make me excited but I’ve never tried them together in the same dish. This sounds so tasty, Kathryn. I love your modification on the original recipe to make it a vegetable-heavy meal rather than side dish.
Very appetizing photos, too.
I’ve marked this recipe to make when the cabbages are in season. Still a few months to go up here :-).
I love recipes which retain the taste and flavors of the veggies in it..less of spices and more of freshness. And the above fits the bill perfectly.
Lovely idea Kathryn – I’m all for the one pot wonder.
I’ve bookmarked this ready for our proper cabbage season – it feels like an autumn/winter recipe with all those lovely spices. You’ve made me think about garlic with your last post and I suspect I’m similarly reliant on fresh ginger so it’s nice to have a recipe using ground ginger for a change.
Shuchita – that salad sounds wonderful, especially with the coriander and lime. When I was growing up cabbage was often boiled, especially at school, and that really is quite foul. Glad to hear you’ve become a cabbage enjoyer.
No problems Dina, aren’t lentils a useful food!
Elaine – lentils and cabbage also get me quite excited. I’ve been really, really enjoying the cabbages we’ve been getting this winter and cooking with them a lot more, rather than just mainly using in salads as I have in the past.
Thanks Sanjeeta – I do love the texture of cooked cabbage and there’s just enough spice in this for it to be interesting, but not overwhelmed.
Sophie – living in the UK, where would your ginger come from? I’ve just realised I have no idea! Over here ginger is in season during winter. The locally grown stuff is at its freshest end of autumn, beginning of winter – that’s when it’s thin skinned and gloriously juicy. But I can still buy good local ginger now.
haha I actually get excited to hear “cabbage” and “lentils” and this looks like the cabbage is cooked so soft and tender, just how I like it!
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