While in Europe, I found the usage of cabbage mostly in salad. However in India, as we love to make curry out of any possible vegetables, cabbage curry is a well-known vegetarian dish itself. Cabbage is a seasonal vegetable in the tropics, largely available during winter. Cabbage  known as Bandhakopi in the East, otherwise Pattagobi across the India can be turned into a smashing spicy curry if cooked by experienced hands. Mind that it sometimes can take a hell lot of time to get cooked, so you have to have your share of patience for an Indian cabbage curry.

Ingredients to serve 3-4 :

1. Cabbage – ½
2. Potato – 2 (medium size)
3. Handful of fresh green peas
4. Slit green chilli – 2-3
5. Tomato (chopped) – ½
6. Ginger paste – ½ tbspoon
7. Cumin seed – 1 teaspoon
8. Whole garam masala (Cinnamon stick – 1″, Cloves – 3, Green cardamom – 3 cloves)
9. Bay leaf – 1
10. Turmeric powder – ¼ teaspoon
11. Salt and sugar to taste
12. Ghee – 1 teaspoon (optional)
13. Cooking oil (preferably mustard oil) – 2 tbspoon

Procedure :

Chop the cabbage into fine shreds and wash under the running water.

Cut the potato into medium size pieces.

Heat oil in a large pan or kadai over medium heat.

Shallow fry the potato into the oil adding little salt and turmeric powder. Keep them aside.

Add whole garam masala, bay leaf and cumin seeds into the remaining oil, saute for a while.

Then add the shredded cabbage, salt and turmeric powder. Fry for 2-3 minutes.

Then cover the pan with a lid and let the cabbage cook over low-medium flame.

As the cabbage gets half-cooked, add ginger paste, green chillies, green peas, chopped tomato and fried potato.

Stir well and cook uncovered until the tomato get mashed.

Again cover the pan and let the cabbage and potato cook completely and turn tender.

After that uncover the pan, add the sugar and cook till the cabbage becomes dry and light brown in colour.

At the end add ghee and put the gas off.

Serve with plain rice or roti or paratha.

Note :

1. Generally cabbages release a lot of water, so we do not need to add water while cooking. But if you find the cabbage stuck at the bottom of pan, then you should add a little amount of water.
2. One can add garam masala powder along with ghee at the end to make it more aromatic.
3. It is a dry dish, make sure that all the water evaporates otherwise it will not taste good.
4. Often cabbage takes time to get cooked. If you are in hurry you can pressure cook it before going into the actual recipe.