Simple Cabbage Sabji – with potatoes and peas, made tangy and colorful with tomatoes…
Enjoy with your favorite flatbread – Roti, Chapati, Paratha, Naan, Pita, tortillas…. Great any day of the week, it’s an easy-to-make, tasty and nutritious meal.
Feel like having only rice sometimes? Sure…. This Sabji is also wonderful as a delicious vegetable side to accompany Dal-Chaawal (beans and rice), or Dahi-Chawal (Dahi Bhaath, yogurt-rice). And yes, you can even use it as a sandwich filling!
Cabbage – inexpensive vegetable, loaded with nutrients
Cabbage is so often undervalued with respect to its nutrient content. This relatively inexpensive vegetable often gets overlooked when thinking about tasty and nutritious vegetables. While lots of folks love cabbage, there are plenty of cabbage-haters too! Some find the aroma too strong and off-putting, others complain about its tendency to cause “gassiness”….
Nevertheless, cabbage, which belongs to the cruciferous family of vegetables, is loaded with nutrients that support your well-being. Low in calories, it is rich in fiber and numerous vitamins (especially Vitamin C & K) and minerals (especially potassium). It also contains the antioxidants choline and lutein, which reduce oxidative stress, and provide a range of health benefits, including cancer-prevention. Like other members of the cruciferous family, cabbage is also rich in indole-3-carbinol, which is also being investigated for its role in slowing cancer-growth.
Adding carminative spices such as fennel, cumin, ginger, etc., while cooking cabbage decreases its “gassy” tendency. So, in this Sabji, these spices serve a dual purpose – they give it a distinctive flavor and also help us digest it easily.
As for the aroma…. Let’s just say it is best to not seriously over-cook cabbage – that, for sure, will produce an unpleasant aroma. To make it worse, the longer you cook cabbage, the more its nutrients will vanish – because several vitamins and other micro-nutrients cannot survive long cooking times. So… don’t take Mother Nature’s gift and destroy it by over-cooking!
Cabbage – used in all culinary traditions
Cabbage is used in all culinary traditions, and a plethora of recipes abound. It’s so incredibly versatile in terms of what you can do with it.. Some are super simple dishes that you can throw together in a jiffy. Others are more elaborate, more suited for special occasions…
Eat it raw… maybe as western-style Cole Slaw, or an Indian-style Cabbage Koshimbir (Kachumber, cabbage salad)… Cook it just briefly if you like… just throw it into a stir-fry with other veggies, Asian style…. Or, add it to soups, stews and curries… And Yes… you can most certainly add fresh cabbage to pasta, noodles or rice…. Maybe stuff it inside some spring-rolls or egg rolls for a yummy snack….
How about some fermented cabbage…. you know, like the fiery Korean KimChi… or the tongue-tickling German Sauerkraut… or the quick-pickled Salvadorean cabbage Curtido? Oh, my mouth waters just thiking about these!
Here’s a list of some of my favorite cabbage dishes… I’m planning to add several more items to this list. I hope you try them sometime… and come to love them like I do.
- Kobee Bhaath – the popular special occasion rice dish from Maharashtra
- Creamy Noodles with Cabbage – in spicy coconut sauce
- KobeeChi Vadi – tasty, savory cabbage bites
Prepping the Cabbage – for making Sabji – Stir-Fry, Indian style
How to prep the cabbage for the Sabji? Hmmmm…. everyone seems to have their favorite “look”! Mine is “thin and long shreds” – that’s what my Mom always did, so, naturally, that was the norm for me.
Soon after I was married, though, I discovered a different “norm”… My mother-in-law had made Cabbage Sabji that looked completely different – she had chopped the cabbage…. almost like I chop onions! Hmmmm…..
Rinse the cabbage – before you chop/slice/shred!
Whatever “look” you like – shredded or chopped, hey, go for it! Just make sure you wash the cabbage before you chop/slice/shred it. Cut the cabbage into big pieces and rinse quickly under running water. Now you’re ready to slice it or shred it.
Why not rinse after you’ve prepped it? Many folks actually do that…. Because…. Many of those lovely vitamins and minerals in cabbage are water-soluble… and will get washed away…. quite literally down the drain! Unfortunately, I have seen lots of people do just that… probably because they have seen others do it that way! So… I’m just giving you some simple, logical advice that will make your dish more nutritious.
Perhaps you suspect small critters might be hiding in the folds of the leaves…. and sometimes they are! Well, when you cut the cabbage into biggish chunks, you can try to spread the layers out under running water – that should flush them out!
Make this easy Cabbage Sabji
Heat up some oil in your pan, add mustard, cumin and fennel seeds…. and a bit of turmeric. In about a minute, get ready to add the veggies – first the potatoes, then the cabbage and at the very end, the peas and tomatoes.
Why add the veggies in this order? Potatoes take a bit longer to cook than cabbage, so it’s best to add these first… Let them cook for a few minutes till they are about half-cooked, then dump that big heap of cabbage on top. Splash a little water, cover and simmer for a few minutes. Open the lid … Ohh… that heap of cabbage doesn’t look quite so big any more! Stir, then add salt, sugar, tomatoes, peas … cover and cook some more… While you’re waiting, start prepping the coriander leaves (Cilantro) and get the rest of your meal ready to serve.
Just before serving, garnish with fresh coriander leaves (cilantro) and serve…. steaming hot! Gorgeous color, enticing aroma…. sure to make your mouth water!
Special Diets
This delicious Cabbage Sabji is low in calories, vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, nut-free, soy-free… It has no onion orgarlic, so it is suitable for folks who prefer to avoid onion/garlic.
So… the next time you want to make a quick and simple Roti-Sabji meal, this is an easy pick. It also makes a great vegetable side to round out a Dal-Chaawal (beans and rice) meal. Take out that head of cabbage from your refrigerator….. In less than 30 min, you can sit down to enjoy it! And Oh… with leftover Sabji, I sometimes even use it as a sandwich filling….. top with a slice of cheese and toast or grill for a tasty Panini!
Make it, share with family and friends…
Do leave a review and star rating… many thanks!
Enjoy!
Simple cabbage Sabji – with Potatoes and Peas
Equipment
- 1 Heavy bottomed frying pan 10 inch (25 cm) Stainless steel or non-stick; wok OK too; NOTE: I do NOT recommend using un-coated Aluminum/Hindalium woks/pans – these react with the acid from the tomatoes used in the recipe, and contaminate your food – this is not good for your health!
Ingredients
- 3 cups Cabbage – shredded thin, long (1-2 inch long shreds) if you prefer chopped cabbage, that's OK too
- 1 cup Potato – peeled, quartered and sliced thin (1/8 inch / 1/4 cm thickness) about 1 medium-large Russet
- 1/2 cup green peas – frozen (thawed) or freshly peeled from the pod
- 2/3 cup Tomatoes – chopped medium about 1 medium-large Roma tomato
- 3/8 tsp Salt adjust as per taste preference
- 1/2 tsp Sugar (optional) adjust as per taste preference
- 1/2 tsp Red chilli powder (cayenne) adjust as per spiciness preferred
- 1/2 cup Water add as needed to prevent burning/sticking to the pan
Tadka Ingredients
- 2 tsp Oil I like to use Peanut oil, but any mild oil of your choice is OK – I do NOT recommend using Extra Virgin Olive Oil for making Tadka
- 1/4 tsp Mustard seeds Small black mustard seeds preferred; if not available, OK to omit
- 1/4 tsp Cumin seeds
- 1/2 tsp Fennel Seeds
- 1/4 tsp Turmeric
- 1/8 tsp Asoefetida (Hing) – optional contains trace amounts of gluten- OMIT if allergic to gluten
- 1 tsp Fresh ginger – peeled and chopped finely
- 1/2 piece Green chilli pepper (optional) – Serrano other spicy chilli pepper OK too – adjust as per spiciness preferred; OK to omit if you don't want Sabji to be too spicy
Garnish
- 1/4 cup Fresh coriander leaves- trimmed, rinsed and chopped Cilantro; add more – up to 1/2 cup (total) if you like
Instructions
- Prepare the cabbage for shredding: remove wilted/dried outer leaves, slice in half verically from the stem end. Cut into quarters and gently rinse from the cut side under running water.Place flat side on the cutting board and cut into thin strips – about 1 1/2-2 inches (3-5 cm) long, 1/8 inch (2-3 mm) wide.
- Peel the potato, then slice lengthwise into quarters; turn sideways and slice thin – 1/8 in (2-3 mm) thickness.
- Chop the tomatoes
- Chop the ginger;
- If using, halve the green chilli lengthwise, then turn the pieces sideways and slice thinly.
Make Tadka
- Heat oil; when it shimmers, add mustard seeds and cover immediately to prevent splatter when they sizzle and pop; add cumin seeds, fennel seeds and turmeric
- Add sliced potatoes, stir cover and cook for 4-5 min on low-medium heat- stir once, half-way through: if it is starting to stick to the bottom of the pan, splash a little water, stir, cover and continue to cook for a couple more min.
- Add chopped ginger, sliced green chillies (if using), and shredded cabbage; cover and cook for 2-3 min on low-medium heat – without stirring
- Remove the cover: the cabbage will have shrunk in volume quite a lot. Add chopped tomatoes, salt, sugar and red chilli powder.Note: If using freshly shelled peas, add them in at this stage, so they get cooked along with the tomatoes. If using frozen peas, wait until a bit later.
- Stir, cover and cook for 2-3 min.
- Remove cover and add peas – it's OK if they are still frozen… or you can thaw them in the microwave – about 30-45 seconds for 1/2 cup frozen peas.
- Stir, cover and cook for 2-3 min on low-medium heat. Remove cover, the Cabbage Sabji is ready!
- Garnish with cilantro and serve immediately with Roti and pickle.
- Great side dish to accompany Dal Chaawal (beans and rice) as well.
- Enjoy!
Notes
- Stuff the Sabji between 2 slices of bread, along with a slice of cheese and grill – Panini style, for a delightful hot and toasty sandwich. Serve with a bowl of soup for a light meal.
- Coarsely process in a food processor, add some breadcrumbs and shape into small 1 1/2 – 2 inch diameter Patties – lightly roll in breadcrumbs and pan-fry till golden and crisp. Serve with your favorite dip as a snack, or make mini-veggie burgers/sliders for an easy and delicious meal.
- Stir-fry with some leftover rice and additional seasonings to make a simple Pulao.
- Consume within 2-3 days
- Use it to make something new: check out the “Leftover Makeover” ideas described above.
- Reheat Sabji, in the microwave or stove-top, until heated through before serving.
- Add fresh garnish if possible.
One of my favorites.
Mine too!
So simple to make and looks so yummy, good info as usual
Thanks! One of my favorite Sabjis!
Vitamin C rich option ! Going to be one of my regulars now. . . Seems easy and delishhh 😀
Hope you like it..
I had never paired cabbage with potato before. This recipe came out so well.
I liked the way you always emphasize on what no-to-do along with what-to-do🙂 This is very important for amateurs like me.
Thank you for all your wonderful recipes Sushma ji.
So glad you enjoyed this simple and delicious Cabbage-Potato Sabji, Divya.
Thank you for actually reading my “to-do”, “to-not-do” tips… I picked up so many of these priceless insights from my Mom, and then added my own two cents worth.. to share. We all learn so much from each other!
Would you please also give me a star rating for this recipe? Thanks!
Hope you also try some of the other recipes I’ve posted – there are quite a few fun ones that you can make with your kids too!
Five star toh banta hi hai 😊
Thank you, Divya! It is a family favorite…. even when my kids were very young (they’re all grown up now), their faces would light up when I made this delightfully simple and tasty sabji.