20 Min

DF

GF

V

Cabbage Sabzi

Today, I bring you an old-fashioned vegetable preparation from India. Sabzi technically means vegetable but in the Indian context, it usually means a cooked vegetable. Local cabbage is prolific and while I used savoy, feel free to use green or purple cabbage instead. Here is a sabzi inspired by the glorious cuisine of Gujarat, a western province in India where I was born and raised. I cooked the sabzi in peanut oil and used seasonings like asafetida, as one would use in Gujarat; however, I have provided you with substitutions that also work well. Asafetida is a gum (that grows on the outside of a tree) that imparts a very strong flavor of garlic and onion. As in the tradition of Gujarati food, I added a touch of sweet at the end.

Share this recipe

Cook Time

20 Minutes

Serves

4

Directions

Step 1

In a large frying pan or wok, over high heat warm the peanut oil. Add the mustard seeds ~ within a few seconds they will sizzle and pop. Next add the asafetida and immediately add the cabbage.

Step 2

Cook on high heat stirring frequently and add the turmeric, serrano, ginger and salt. As soon as the cabbage has wilted slightly, turn the heat off.

Step 3

Add the jaggery and peanuts and toss the cabbage together.

Notes & Variations

Substitute peanut oil to olive or sesame oil. If you do not have asafetida, add 1 teaspoon of minced garlic and 1/2 cup of minced onion.
Jaggery is a unprocessed raw sugar but it can be substituted with brown or white sugar. Or drizzle honey or maple syrup at the end.
This sabzi can be eaten on its own, tossed in rice or noodles and can be eaten warm or room temperature.

Ingredients

4 tablespoons peanut oil

1 teaspoon black mustard seeds

Generous pinch asafetida

1/2 head of savoy cabbage, sliced thinly

1 teaspoon turmeric powder

1 serrano pepper, minced (optional)

1 tablespoon unpeeled ginger, minced

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 tablespoon jaggery

3 tablespoons toasted chopped peanuts

Step 1

In a large frying pan or wok, over high heat warm the peanut oil. Add the mustard seeds ~ within a few seconds they will sizzle and pop. Next add the asafetida and immediately add the cabbage.

Step 2

Cook on high heat stirring frequently and add the turmeric, serrano, ginger and salt. As soon as the cabbage has wilted slightly, turn the heat off.

Step 3

Add the jaggery and peanuts and toss the cabbage together.

4 tablespoons peanut oil

1 teaspoon black mustard seeds

Generous pinch asafetida

1/2 head of savoy cabbage, sliced thinly

1 teaspoon turmeric powder

1 serrano pepper, minced (optional)

1 tablespoon unpeeled ginger, minced

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 tablespoon jaggery

3 tablespoons toasted chopped peanuts

Notes & Variations

Substitute peanut oil to olive or sesame oil. If you do not have asafetida, add 1 teaspoon of minced garlic and 1/2 cup of minced onion.
Jaggery is a unprocessed raw sugar but it can be substituted with brown or white sugar. Or drizzle honey or maple syrup at the end.
This sabzi can be eaten on its own, tossed in rice or noodles and can be eaten warm or room temperature.

Tags:

20 Min

Tags:

20 Min

GET A HEAD (OF CABBAGE).

Make an exciting meal with more cabbage!

YUM

20 Min

GF

NF

V

Asparagus with Blackberry Chutney

Last week I was asked to cook a luncheon for a few chefs from the Houston area. This roasted asparagus with blackberry chutney was the course they commented the most on at the end, so I am here today to share the recipe with you, since it can be easily replicated at home.

25 Min

GF

Baby Butter Saag

Today, I bring you saag in its purest and simplest form. In an attempt to feed greens to the newest member of our family, Lion, I’ve arrived at a recipe with just six ingredients. Yes, this saag will remind you of baby food but if only babies ate this well, our world may be a better place!

15 Min

DF

GF

NF

V

Bitter Melon Salad

After eating this wonderful fresh salad, I’ll never think of bitter melon that same way again!

30 Min

DF

NF

V

Braised Baby Bok Choy

A little more substantial than spinach yet light enough to pass off as a green, bok choy can also be eaten raw in a salad, in a stir-fry or steamed.

35 Min

GF

V

Braised Green Beans

Try this quick recipe for your Thanksgiving table – you can make it ahead of time, just drizzle the tahini last minute.

40 Min

DF

GF

NF

Broccoli Stir Fry

Broccoli, in this stir fry with chicken, keeps its chlorophyll rich green color, maintains a crunch while losing no vitamins and nutrients as can happen while steaming.

55 Min

DF

Broccolini with Orange & Sesame

Packed with nutrients, vital minerals, and plenty of dietary fiber, broccolini cooks quickly and lends itself well to Asian flavors. Rather than being overpowered by additional sugar, here is a recipe where fresh orange juice contributes to the natural sweetness of the dish.

30 Min

GF

Cardamom Roasted Broccolini

More so than other vegetables, broccoli or broccolini needs to be cooked just right to be served at its best. For example, okra or green beans may not look pretty when overcooked but tastes just fine. Broccoli is better slightly undercooked than overcooked because the later can result in a soggy dish devoid of flavor, which is why roasting or grilling it guarantees good results. It took me a few tries to realize that it was the strong brassica smell of the broccoli that my taste buds subconsciously objected to. Now, I always cook broccoli with something fragrant, least of all garlic but usually an aromatic spice like cardamom, nutmeg, or mace. A quick little grating of nutmeg at the end, or the spears tossed with cardamom, black pepper and olive oil can transform broccoli. A squeeze of lemon or orange juice at the end can add even more fragrance and a smear of yogurt on the bottom can add a creamy luxurious finish.

5 Min

DF

Charred Peppers

Sweet peppers bursting with flavor are in season right now and they don’t need much help!

45 Min

GF

V

Coconut Braised Collard Greens

Braised in coconut oil and coconut milk gives them a touch of slight sweetness that balances the bitterness in the greens. Add a dash of lime for contrast and you have hearty plant-based greens that are rich and deeply flavorful.

50 Min

GF

NF

Ghee Based Green Beans

In the spirit of starting new customs this year, I wanted to explore eating vegetables I tend to shy away from, and green beans is one of them. They need to be cooked long and slow to extract their best flavor so here they are braised with ghee and a little bit of water.

30 Min

GF

V

Mulukhiyah with Beans

Here is a simple recipe using beans and mulukhiyah inspired by how it is used in the Middle East. Use any kind of beans from small flageolets to the more common garbanzo. Eating vegetables is vital to our health.

30 min

GF

Roasted Asparagus with Yogurt & Tomato

In the spring, there is no wrong way to eat asparagus. Raw, shaved, steamed, or roasted, which happens to be our favorite. Here is a dressed-up recipe with yogurt tinged with ginger and a sweetish hot tomato chutney.

50 Min

DF

GF

NF

V

Roasted Napa Cabbage

Cabbage, despite its high nutritional content, often does not get the respect it deserves and can hold its own as a dramatic yet vegetable main course like say, an artichoke or a Romanesco.

30 Min

DF

GF

V

Sesame Bok Choy

Being in the brassica family, Bok Choy is filled with phytonutrient and fiber that our bodies need.

40 Min

GF

V

Stuffed Gypsy Peppers

Serve these peppers alongside a bright green salad or as a side dish with a bit of plain yogurt on the side.

60 Min

DF

GF

V

Stuffed Hatch Peppers

What adds to the appeal of the Hatch chile is that they pack just the right amount of heat and are neither too spicy nor too mild. They can be added raw to salads, turned into salsas or fire smoked and stuffed with everything from cheese to vegetables to meat fillings.

30 Min

DF

GF

V

Tindora Sabzi

Emerging wisdom is indicating that to maintain a healthy gut flora, diversity of diet is just as important as what we eat. The sheer variety of produce in an Asian grocery store from half a dozen varieties of Bok choi to other leafy greens or a whole jackfruit may seem daunting. But this is when trips to stores from other cultures can become an exciting adventure and keep in mind, it’s only food. If you don’t like it, don’t buy it again. In Indian grocery stores, aside from the umpteen aromatic spices and lentils you can peruse through, varieties of intriguing squashes can be found that resemble neither zucchini nor butternut squash. One such tender squash with a delicate burst of flavor is the tindora, or the ivy gourd. They are size of your finger, need a quick light braise, and are packed with fiber and phytonutrients. This sabzi (which simply means cooked vegetable) is inspired by the cuisine of Gujarat. Enjoy it with dal, a lentil stew, and rice. Here is to starting the new year off with a fruit or vegetable you have not tried before…

20 Min

GF

NF

V

Asparagus with Blackberry Chutney

25 Min

GF

Baby Butter Saag

15 Min

DF

GF

NF

V

Bitter Melon Salad

After eating this wonderful fresh salad, I’ll never think of bitter melon that same way again!

30 Min

DF

NF

V

Braised Baby Bok Choy

A little more substantial than spinach yet light enough to pass off as a green, bok choy can also be eaten raw in a salad, in a stir-fry or steamed.

35 Min

GF

V

Braised Green Beans

Try this quick recipe for your Thanksgiving table – you can make it ahead of time, just drizzle the tahini last minute.

Drinks

Drinks

Hot Drinks

Cold Drinks

Cocktails

Condiments

Condiments

Raita

Chutneys

Pickles

Masala

Grains

Grains

Buckwheat

Khichri

Millet

Noodles

Quinoa

Rice

Whole Grains

Dough

Dough

Roti

Paratha

Naan

Bread

Crackers

Pizza

Batter

Batter

Dosas

Pancakes

Crepes

Savory Baked

Savory Baked

Biscuits

Bread Pudding

Soups

Soups

Light Soup

Creamy Soup

Dal Soup

Stews

Cold Soup

Snacks

Snacks

Chaat

Spreads

Fried Snacks

Nosh

Legumes

Legumes

Dal

Beans

Salads

Salads

Veg Salads

Non-Veg Salads

Land & Sea

Land & Sea

Eggs

Birds

Meat

Fish

Shellfish

Paneer

Paneer

Paneer

Vegetables

Vegetables

Sabzi

Potatoes

Mushrooms

Eggplants

Cauliflower

Squashes

Root Vegetables

Vegetable Curries

Green Vegetables

Okra