Sauteed Cabbage with Peas and Coconut
So, the Wilson Farm story continues- the last thing I bought from there was a green cabbage. Now, cabbage is not my favorite thing to eat but my husband absolutely adores it- and since he was right next to me while we were shopping, he insisted we buy it. He usually enjoys a sauteed cabbage dish that my sister-in-law makes for him but the problem is she lives about 3000 miles away in Seattle! So, the poor guy doesn’t get to eat the yummy preparation. Since I have never made it for him, I felt a little sorry and decided to give it a try-how hard could it be, I thought. My sister-in-law is a great cook so I had quite a task to tackle. I thought of calling her for the recipe but decided to put my own spin on it instead. I added peas and coconut to it which gave the dish a really nice sweetness. Once the dish was cooked, it screamed for a little lemon juice to balance all the flavors out- I was quite happy and it actually came out really delicious- even I enjoyed it! I have to say- I will eat anything that is cooked with mustard seeds, curry leaves and coconut!!! The real judge was my husband- well- I got two thumbs up! He really enjoyed it- a lot, he said! My daughter tried it reluctantly- but made a strange face- not a bad one though. I guess you can’t please everyone!!
- 3 cups green cabbage, shredded
- 3 tablespoons extra light olive oil
- 2 teaspoons mustard seeds
- 7-8 curry leaves
- 2-3 dry red chilies
- 2 Serrano chilies, deseeded and chopped
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 teaspoons ginger, minced
- ½ cup shredded coconut (packaged is fine)
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 teaspoons coriander powder
- Salt to taste
- 1 cup frozen peas
- Juice of half a lemon
In a large frying pan, heat the olive oil. Add the mustard seeds, red chilies and curry leaves. Cook on high heat for 30 seconds or till the seeds begin to sizzle. Add the onions, Serrano chilies and ginger. Saute for 5-6 minutes on medium high heat, stirring constantly. Add the cabbage and coconut, stirring constantly. Add the turmeric, cayenne pepper, coriander powder and salt. Stir and lower the heat and cover. Cook the dish covered for at least 20 minutes or till the cabbage is wilted and soft. Take the cover off and increase the heat. Add the peas and stir constantly for 7-8 minutes, careful not to burn. Adjust seasonings and add the lemon juice.
