Do you like cabbage? If you already do, you are going to love this. If you don’t, I challenge you to give this a try, especially if you like Indian flavors and spices. This dish was inspired by the hot foods bar at our local Whole Foods Market.

We go there all the time, primarily to food shop and my son loves to eat lunch there. He always gets the same thing (he is such a creature of habit like his Dad!); tandoori chicken, coconut rice, Moroccan carrots, a side of watermelon and ice water.

Yep, the water has to have ice in it or its no bueno.

I started getting their Punjabi Cabbage for myself and got really sick of paying $7.99 / lb for cabbage with spices. Ridiculous right? So, I looked up about ten different Punjabi Cabbage recipes and while they were all different, the ingredients and spices were similar across the board.

The first couple of times that I made this dish, I made it without the chickpeas but I frequently found myself wanting more texture and really like the idea of adding additional protein.

If you are newer to Indian cooking and spices, here is a great article explaining them in more detail.

NOTES:

  • I consider this dish to be “spicy”. If you want it “medium spicy”, slice the jalapeno in half first and remove all of the seeds before thinly slicing. If you want it “mild”, omit the jalapeno.
  • MEAL PLAN: This is excellent alongside Spiced Coconut Rice and Curry Chicken OR Indian Spiced Chicken Wraps
5.0 from 2 reviews

Punjabi Style Cabbage + Chickpeas
 
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3 Points Plus Per Serving — Serves 8 (as a side dish)
By,:
Serves:: 8

Ingredients
  • 1.5 tablespoons safflower oil or coconut oil
  • 2 to 3 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 1″ piece ginger root, peeled and chopped
  • 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
  • 1 jalapeno, thinly sliced
  • 1 3-lb head organic green cabbage
  • 2¼ teaspoons turmeric
  • 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1½ teaspoons ground coriander
  • 2¼ teaspoons kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon red chili powder
  • 1.5 cups (1 15-ounce) can garbanzo beans
  • ⅛ cup water
  • 1 tablespoon Earth Balance (or Butter)
  • cilantro for serving

Instructions
PREP:
  1. Toss the garlic and ginger in the bowl of the food processor and process until chopped. Add peeled, quartered onion and pulse just a few times until there are no large chunks but onion is left in bigger pieces.
  2. Thinly slice the jalapeno. I suggest wearing disposable kitchen gloves. See NOTE above regarding spiciness.
  3. Remove the core of the cabbage by slicing in half and using a knife to trim around the core section.
  4. Roughly chop the cabbage.
  5. Finally, measure spices, rinse and drain beans (if using canned) and get out oil and butter.
COOK:
  1. Heat a large soup pot over medium high heat. Add in oil and then garlic, ginger, jalapeno and onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 6 to 8 minutes until soft and fragrant.
  2. Add in spices and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
  3. Now add cabbage, beans and water. Mix to coat cabbage, cover and cook, stirring occasionally for 15 minutes. The cabbage should reduce to more than half and you may not be able to coat the leaves with the spice mixture until a few minutes until the cooking/reduction.
  4. Remove lid and continue cooking over high heat for another 3 to 5 minutes to allow remaining liquid to evaporate. Once done, remove from heat and toss in butter.
  5. Serve with cilantro leaves and Enjoy!

 

 

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