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Showing posts with label Cabbage. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cabbage. Show all posts

Monday, August 3, 2015

Cabbage Soup

An easy to soup with Italian flavoring, I tried it out recently with great results. There was this unused cabbage lying in the fridge for a week and nobody wanted to eat any cabbage curry. I had used a bit of it in a veg noodles recipe that I had made for my kid. With Maggie going off the shelf, I buy these big chowmein packets and cook it with lots of veggies. It is not only much more healthier but also works out to be cheaper. Coming back to the soup, I was confused about the kind of flavoring that I should use. With opinions divided between an Indian version and a Russian one, I somehow ended up with the classic Italian seasoning of EVOO, garlic and chili flakes.

Read on for the recipe -


















Preparation Time - 15 mins

Ingredients -


  • 2 cups chopped cabbage (tightly packed)
  • 3 tbsp chopped onions
  • 2 cloves
  • 1/2 inch cinnamon (optional)
  • 10-12 peppercorns
  • 2-3 garlic flakes
  • 1/2 tsp chili flakes
  • 1 1/2 tsp EVOO
  • 1 tsp Pomace olive oil
  • salt to taste
  • freshly ground pepper


Cooking - Heat the olive oil in a pressure cooker. Add the peppercorns, cinnamon, cloves and onions. Fry for a minute before adding the cabbage.  Fry for 2-3 mins.

Add 3 cups water and salt to taste. Close lid and cook for 3-4 whistles. Keep aside till steam escapes.

Open lid and use a hand blender to puree the contents of the pressure cooker.

Take the EVOO in a pan. Add the crushed garlic and fry till it is golden. Add the chili flakes and fry for 20 seconds before pouring it over the cabbage soup.

Pour out into bowls, garnish with fresh pepper and serve immediately.


Saturday, August 9, 2014

Vegetable Manchurian

Vegetable Manchurian happened to be one of my favorites dishes during the college years. I could have it for evening snacks, then again for dinner and if there was still some leftover ( quite miraculously !! ), it would go into the making of my breakfast the next day. Such was my fascination with this delicious Chinese recipe that there was seldom a week when I did not have it. But as they say 'Too much of a good thing is bad'. I lost my appetite for this yummy dish soon after and it was years before I went anywhere near it. I distinctly remember avoiding it at wedding banquets and office parties where it happened to be one of the popular starters for the vegetarian crowd.

But when I came across it recently while browsing for popular Indo-Chinese recipes. Memories came flooding back and I could not resist trying it out at home. While the ones served at restaurants are good, I just wanted to relive the fun that I used to have when making it with my Mom. And btw, it also happens to be one of my brother's favorite. Here this one is for you Bro. Happy Raksha Bandhan !!!!!!!!

Read on for the easy recipe -



















Preparation Time - 45-55 mins

Ingredients -

For the balls -

2 1/2 cups shredded cabbage
2/3 cup grated carrot
1/3 cup finely chopped capsicum
1/2 cup finely chopped spring onions (i used both the white and green portions)
1/2 cup finely chopped french beans
2-3 green finely chopped chilis
4 tbsp all purpose flour
2 tbsp cornflour
1/3 tsp chilli powder ( skip this if the green chilis are hot ..mine had very less heat )
salt to taste
oil for deep frying

For the sauce -

3 tbsp finely chopped spring onions
2 tbsp finely chopped garlic
2 tbsp finely chopped ginger
2 finely chopped green chilis
3 tsp soya sauce
3-4 tsp vinegar
2 tsp chili sauce
2 tsp tomato ketchup
1 1/2 tsp cornflour
1 tsp sugar
2 pinch garam masala ( only if you like the Punjabi-fied version )
salt to taste
3 tsp vegetable oil ( if you have sesame oil, use it )
2 tsp spring onion greens for garnishing

Preparation - Take all the vegetables in a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle salt and keep aside for 1 hour. After 1 hour, all the veggies would have left water. Thoroughly squeeze out this excess water.

Add all purpose flour ( 2 1/2 tbsp at first ), cornflour, red chili powder and more salt (if required) to the mixing bowl. Mix everything together. Try to form the balls (use a tablespoon as the measure to get balls of uniform size). If they seem crumbly, then add more all purpose flour.

Cooking - Heat sufficient oil in a wok. Once it reaches the right temperature, place one ball as a test first. [If it does not rise quickly to the surface, the oil is cold and the balls will absorb too much oil. If it turns dark too soon, the oil is overheated. If it starts to break, then it needs more binding agent.]

Once the first ball turns out fine, then add 4-5 of the balls at a time. Do not crowd the vessel as it will cause the oil temperature to plummet . Fry on medium flame till golden brown.

Remove and place on paper towels to absorb excess oil. Repeat the process for the remaining vegetable balls.

Heat 3-4 tsp oil in a separate wok. Add the spring onions, garlic, ginger and green chillis. Fry on medium high, taking care not to burn the garlic.

Add soya sauce, tomato ketchup, vinegar and chili sauce to the wok along with the sugar and fry for 1 minute.

Dissolve the cornflour in 1 cup cold water. Add to the wok. Adjust salt. Keep stirring till the sauce thickens.

Add the fried vegetable balls to the wok and toss to coat them evenly. Sprinkle garam masala if using. Turn up the heat for 2 mins. Remove from the flame leaving behind a little gravy (do not worry, it will get absorbed).




















Note - Add more water and increase the quantity of sauces used if you need more gravy.

Saturday, December 14, 2013

Kobi Pakudi ( Gobi Pakora )

Piping hot pakoras served over cups of tea are an instant hit at any gathering of close friends. Made with tender cabbage leaves, this one is a winter special. Read on for the recipe:

















Preparation Time - 20 mins

Ingredients - 2 cups finely shredded cabbage, 1 cup besan ( gram flour ), 1 large onion, 3-4 green chillis, 5 tbs chopped cilantro, 1/2 cup red chilli, 1/5 tsp garam masala, a pinch of baking powder, salt to taste, oil for deep frying.

Preparation - Take all the ingredients except for oil in a mixing bowl. Add sufficient water to make a thick batter ( If the batter is runny pakoras will soak up more oil ).

Cooking: Heat oil in a deep wok. Take spoonfuls of the batter and put into the hot oil. Do not put in more than 6-7 spoonfuls at a time.

Fry on all sides till crisp and light brown. Remove and put on paper towels to soak up the excess oil.

Repeat the process for remaining batter.

Serve hot with ketchup/tomato chutney.


Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Bandha Kobi Muga dali tarkari ( cabbage-moong dal curry )















Preparation time: 15-20 mins

Ingredients: Cabbage ( 1 no., medium sized ), muga dali/moong dal ( 1/2 cup ), ginger ( 1/2 inch, juliennes ), cinnamon powder ( 1/4 tsp ), coriander powder ( 1 tsp ), red chilli powder ( 1 tsp ), ghee/oil ( 2 tsp ), turmeric ( 1/4 tsp), salt to taste.

Preparation: Chop the cabbage into small pieces.

Dry roast the muga dali till it gives off a faint smell.

Cooking: Transfer the muga dali along with 1 cup water, salt and turmeric into a pressure cooker and cook for 1 whistle.

Heat the oil in a wok. Add the turmeric and red chilli powder masalas followed by the ginger juliennes and fry for 1 minute. Add the chopped cabbage and fry for sometime till it starts releasing water. Add the cooked muga dali at this stage and mix well.

Transfer the wok contents into a presure cooker and cook on medium flame for 1 whistle. Remove and serve hot with rice/rotis.

Note: This recipe can be had on Osa bara/ Vrats as it does not contain onion and garlic. For added flavour garnish with freshly grated coconut and coriander leaves before serving.

Saturday, February 5, 2011

Patra Bhajja (Bandha Kobi Chilli)















Cooking Time Required: 10-15 mins
Cost of Preparation: 40-50 Rupees

Ingredients: Bandha Kobi/Cabbage ( 1 no., small ), onion ( 1 no., large ), ginger ( 1 inch , cut into thin strips ), red chilli powder ( 1 tsp ), tomato sauce ( 2-3 tsp ), soya sauce ( 1/2 tsp ), salt, oil ( 3-5 tsp ).

Prepparation: Cut the onion into thin long pieces. Similarly, cut the cabbage into thin strips and remove the thick stems .

Cooking: Heat the oil in a frying pan. Add the ginger pieces followed by the onion . Fry till the onion turns translucent.

Add the cabbage pieces along with the red chilli powder. Fry till the cabbage is almost done .

Sprinkle the salt, tomato sauce and soya sauce. Fry for 3-4 mins.

Serve hot.

Cabbage

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Bandha Kobi Chencheda ( Cabbage curry with Fish )















Cooking Time Required : 30-35 mins
Cost of preparation: 40-50 rupees

Ingredients: Bandha kobi (cabbage, 400 gm ), potato ( 1 medium ), green peas ( 1 cup ),tomato ( 1 medium ), ginger ( 1/2 inch ), garlic ( 8-9 pods ), onion ( 1 large ), cinnamon stick ( 1 inch long ), cardamon ( 2 nos ), cumin seeds ( 1/3 tsp), red chilli ( 2-3 nos), turmeric (1/5 tsp), Bhakura/rohi maccha munda/lanja ( fish head and tail, 1 pc each ), oil ( 6-7 nos ), turmeric ( 1 tsp ), salt.

Preparation: Wash the cabbage and cut into small pieces. Keep aside

Marinate the fish with salt and turmeric for about 5 minutes.

Grind the onion, garlic, ginger, cardamon and cinnamon into a thick paste.

Cooking: Heat oil in a large wok. Add the fish and fry till it turns reddish. Crush in the wok itself and stir fry for 3-4 mins .Remove from wok and keep aside.

Add the red chillis and cumin seeds. When it starts to splutter, add masala paste and turmeric, and cook till the raw smell goes away.

Add the diced potatoes . Stir fry for 5-6 mins and then add the bandha kobi along with the salt. Add the finely minced tomatoes and green peas when the cabbage softens a bit.

Cook for another 5-10 minutes and then add the crushed fish pieces. Cover with a lid and cook for 10 minutes till the fish mixes thoroughly with the vegetables and excess water disappers.

Tastes best when served hot with rotis.

Note: Do not add any extra water. If using frozen peas, defreeze and add 5 mins before removing the curry from the stove ( frozen peas need less time for cooking and become mashy if cooked for too long ).

Vegetarians can also prepare this curry without the fish.

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