Cabbage is a totally underrated vegetable. It is nutrient dense and has a slight peppery taste. With its crunchy texture, I actually love to munch on raw cabbage. Cabbage is having a moment on the internet and I really wanted to share this recipe.
How my love for cabbage grew!
Of course, I didn’t like it growing up. But I remember enjoying it the way my grandmother made it when I visited her in London when I was 10 years old. She would slice the cabbage real thin, then throw it into a pot with tempered spices like mustard seeds, curry leaves, turmeric, green chiles and ginger. She’d saute it for a few minutes with some green peas and garnish with cilantro. I still vividly remember how delicious it was, enjoyed with hot, ghee-laden rotis.
My grandmother and mother used to talk on a daily basis. Maybe my grandmother told her how I enjoyed that cabbage dish, because after I returned, my mom’s cabbage changed drastically — and I actually loved it. To accommodate me and my brother, who loved potatoes in everything, mom would also put potatoes in the cabbage. That Gujarati dish, Kobi Bateta nu Shaak (Cabbage Potato Spiced Vegetable), became one of the first few dishes I learned from her: just a few simple ingredients that came together in no time.
Ottolenghi-fy Cabbage?! My inspiration for the Indian Spiced Braised Cabbage with Waffle Fries and Lavash Chips
I wanted to Ottolenghi-fy this beloved family dish, creating a Middle Eastern-meets-Indian weeknight-friendly meal that can be ready within one hour, with prep time included. The Gujarati dish, Kobi Bateta nu Shaak (Cabbage Potato Spiced Vegetable), is where I draw inspiration from, along with tips and tricks learnt from Ottolenghi’s first book Plenty.
Lavash Chips – the best!
I start with the lavash chips. Lavash is a thin Middle Eastern flatbread made with whole wheat flour; it’s easily found in most grocery stores now. I brush the flatbread simply with olive oil, then sprinkle Maldon sea salt on top. The bread is cut into strips, and then baked until light brown. They crisp up really nicely. The chips can be made a couple of days in advance.
How do I cook the Indian Spiced Braised Cabbage?
For the cabbage, I place large wedges in a pan to char the sides and then braise them until tender in ginger, green chile and spices. The cabbage comes out tender and yet has a bite to it. It is SO good.
What are the ingredients of the Indian Spiced Braised Cabbage?
The ingredients are as follows:
- Cabbage
- Olive oil
- Mustard seeds and cumin seeds
- Green chillies and ginger – the usual alliums
- Dry spices like cumin, coriander, red chilli powder and garam masala
How is the Indian Spiced Braised Cabbage served?
The cabbage is served over a bed of waffle cut fries, topped with a drizzle of spiced yogurt, crushed peanuts, toasted sesame seeds and thinly sliced jalapenos.
The sweet cabbage with the spices, fries, garnishes and crunchy lavash chips tastes absolutely wonderful, and I am proud of it. It is reminiscent of my childhood, yet elevated, incorporating techniques I learned after coming to this country. This is a meal that I will be coming back to again and again.
It reminds me of the shaak that my mom made, with the potatoes, reminded by the waffle fries. I love this modern take on it.
What braiser do I use for this recipe?
The braiser that I use is the Le Creuset 5 quart braiser. I bought it from Amazon linked here.
What kind of waffle fries do you use?
I love the Alexia Waffle Cut Fries. It has clean ingredients and they taste amazing as well.
Can I store the leftovers?
Since the meal is served over waffle fries along with spiced yogurt on the top, it cannot be stored overnight. It is best eaten the day of making it.
Can I prepare this meal in 30 minutes?
This meal can be prepared in 30 minutes, especially if the lavash chips are prepped the day before.
Other dinner recipe inspirations are below:
If you make this recipe, please tag #thejamlab on Instagram and/or leave a comment on this blog post.
XO
Amisha
Indian Spiced Braised Cabbage with Waffle Fries and Lavash Chips
Lavash Chips:
- 2 lavash
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 teaspoon Maldon sea salt
Yogurt sauce:
- 1 cup Greek yogurt
- ⅓ cup water
- ¼ teaspoon chaat masala
- ¼ teaspoon red chile powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon table salt
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 20 ounce bag of waffle cut fries
Indian Spiced Braised Cabbage:
- ½ cup olive oil, divided
- 1 head cabbage
- 2 teaspoons mustard seeds
- 2 green chiles, split in half
- 1-inch piece ginger, grated
- ¾ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¾ teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon red chile powder
- 1½ teaspoons garam masala
- 1¼ teaspoons table salt
- ¾ cup water
Garnish
- ¼ cup roasted peanuts, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro
- ½ red jalapeno, thinly sliced
Get Recipe Ingredients
Method:
Make the Lavash Chips
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Brush the lavash with the olive oil. Sprinkle the sea salt evenly on top. Cut lavash into strips about 1¼ inch thick and 3 inches long.
- Place the strips on a baking sheet, making sure the pieces don’t touch. Bake for about 8 minutes, until golden brown in color. Let cool.
- The chips can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Make the yogurt sauce
- In a medium bowl, whisk all the ingredient until thoroughly combined. Set aside.
Waffle Cut Fries
- Bake the fries per the packaged instructions. Meanwhile, braise the cabbage.
To make the Indian Spiced Braised Cabbage
- Cut the cabbage into half. Cut each half into 4 wedges.
- Put a 5-quart braiser on medium to high heat and add ¼ cup olive oil. Heat for a minute.
- Add half the wedges into the braiser. Let cook undisturbed for 3 to 4 minutes, until the bottoms are lightly charred.
- Using tongs, gently turn the wedges to char the other side for 3 to 4 minutes.
- Gently remove from the braiser onto a plate and set to the side.
- Repeat with the other wedges.
- In the same pan, add ¼ cup olive oil. Heat for a minute.
- Add mustard seeds, chiles and ginger. Let splatter for 20-30 seconds. Then add all the dry spices: cumin, coriander, red chile powder, garam masala and salt. Saute for a minute.
- Add ¾ cup water and stir occasionally for a minute.
- Nestle the shriveled cabbage wedges into the braiser. Cook for about 5 minutes. Using tongs, turn the wedges as gently as possible to keep the leaves intact. Cook for another 5 minutes.
- Close the lid and cook for 2-3 more minutes. There should be little water left in the braiser.
To assemble
- Place the waffle cut fries on a platter. Place the braised cabbage gently on top of the fries. Drizzle with half the yogurt sauce. Garnish with a sprinkle of the peanuts, sesame seeds, cilantro and then the jalapeno. Serve immediately with the lavash chips and remaining yogurt sauce on the side.
Notes
- What braiser do I use for this recipe?
-
- The braiser that I use is the Le Creuset 5 quart braiser. I bought it from Amazon linked here.
- What kind of waffle fries do you use?
-
- I love the Alexia Waffle Cut Fries. It has clean ingredients and they taste amazing as well.
- Can I store the leftovers?
-
- Since the meal is served over waffle fries along with spiced yogurt on the top, it cannot be stored overnight. It is best eaten the day of making it.
- Can I prepare this meal in 30 minutes?
-
- This meal can be prepared in 30 minutes, especially if the lavash chips are prepped the day before.
