It’s great to see cabbage making its appearance in the box again after the long summer hiatus. Here’s a recipe for braised cabbage with Indian spices. It comes from the New York Times, published last January.
Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds cabbage 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon canola oil 2 whole cloves 1 tablespoon black mustard seeds 20 curry leaves 1 bay leaf 2 tablespoons finely chopped shallot 2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic 2 tablespoons peeled, julienned fresh ginger 1/2 tablespoon ground turmeric 1 to 2 tablespoons finely chopped seeded jalapeño pepper 1 cup chopped fresh or canned tomato 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth Kosher salt
Preparation:
Cut cabbage into 6 to 8 wedges, with the widest part no more than 2 inches, leaving the core intact so the wedges stay together while cooking. Place a heavy skillet, large enough to hold wedges fairly snugly, over medium heat. Add 1/4 cup oil and heat until it shimmers. Add the cabbage, and cook, turning once, until browned on both sides, 2 to 3 minutes a side. Transfer to a plate, and set aside.
Reduce heat to medium-low, add remaining 1 tablespoon oil, and heat until it shimmers. Add cloves, mustard seeds, curry leaves, bay leaf, shallot and garlic, and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add ginger, turmeric, 1 tablespoon jalapeño, tomato and broth. Season with salt to taste. If desired, add more jalapeño to taste.
Increase heat to medium-high, and bring to a boil. Add cabbage, fitting it tightly together in the bottom of the pot. Cover, reduce heat to medium, and braise cabbage until tender, about 10 minutes, turning it once halfway through cooking. Remove and discard cloves, curry leaves and bay leaf. If desired, serve with rice.