Kobichi Bhaji | Cabbage Stir Fry Recipe
This 'Kobichi Bhaji' is a simple homestyle preparation of cabbage (Kobi is a local name for cabbage). A stir fried recipe using shredded cabbage with onions, dal and few other staple ingredients for flavourings. It has slight crunch from cabbage while its sweetness is perfectly balanced with green chillies and dal.
Ingredients
- 500 gms cabbage
- 1 tbsp oil vegetable
- 1 nos onion small
- 1 tbsp chana dal
- 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
- 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
- 2 nos green chillies
- 7-8 nos curry leaves
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
- salt as per taste
- water if required
Instructions
- Allow chana dal to soak into water for 2 hours; it helps in faster cooking.
- Wash the cabbage and shred it into thin pieces.
- Meanwhile, take a pan over high heat and add oil into it.
- Once oil is hot enough, add mustards and cumin seeds into it. Turn heat to medium and let seeds splutter in hot oil for few seconds.
- Next, tip in curry leaves along with chopped green chillies. Quickly stir everything together.
- Add finely chopped onions into the pan and combine everything.
- Allow onions to cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Next add soaked chana dal and turmeric powder into the pan.
- Gently mix everything together and cook until onions are translucent.
- Add 1-2 tbsp of water which allows to cook chana dal. (This is an optional step and required only if chana dal is not yet cooked enough. Allow any water to evaporate before adding cabbage into the pan).
- Season with salt and add shredded cabbage into the pan.
- Combine everything together and cover the pan.
- Allow cabbage to cook over medium heat for 10 minutes.
- Cabbage and chana dal should be cooked through after 10 minutes.
- At this point; Cabbage should be translucent and crunchy while chana dal has wonderful bite. If you wish soft cabbage then cook for some more time.
- Taste the salt and add it; if required.
- Turn heat to low and simmer for another 5 minutes. Finally, give a quick stir and turn off the heat.
- Our cabbage stir fry (kobichi bhaji) is ready.
Notes
- Soak chana dal for 2-3 hours, it helps in cooking.
- If required, add little water to cook chana dal. Cook it until you get wonderful bite. Allow any water to evaporate before adding the cabbage.
- No need to add any water once cabbage is added into the pan. Cabbage has its own moisture.
- Cook cabbage as per desired; I like to keep it crunchy but one can cook it until it's soft.
- As suggested, dal can be replaced with green peas or potatoes. Thus soaking time can be avoided.