Midday · No onion or garlic
Cabbage Coconut Stir-Fry
Kerala-style stir-fry of finely shredded cabbage and carrot with mustard seeds, curry leaves, turmeric and a crumbled coconut-cumin paste.
- Prep 15 min
- Cook 12 min
- Total 27 min
- Makes 4 servings
Photo via Wikimedia Commons (Public domain).
Stir-fry is a dry vegetable stir-fry from Kerala built around fresh coconut. The vegetables are chopped very finely, cooked quickly so they keep a little crunch, and finished with coconut that has been crushed with cumin, green chile and turmeric. Cabbage is one of the most common versions, and one of the best.
The finished dish is bright, slightly sweet and fragrant with curry leaves. It is usually served as one part of a larger meal with rice, dal and yogurt, but a generous bowl with a fried egg or some lentils makes a perfectly good lunch on its own.
In Kerala, a stir-fry is rarely the star of the meal. It sits beside rice, a curry and something sour, adding texture and freshness to every mouthful. That is a helpful way to think about it at home too: make a vegetable stir-fry while the dal simmers, and the whole plate suddenly feels balanced. Because it cooks in under fifteen minutes, it is also an easy way to bring a vegetable to a weeknight table.
The recipe
Ingredients
Coconut mix
Stir-fry
Method
- Pulse the coconut, cumin, green chile and turmeric in a small food processor or grinder a few times until coarsely crushed. It should not be a paste. Set aside.
- Heat the coconut oil in a wide pan or wok over medium-high heat. Add the mustard seeds and let them pop.
- Add the split black lentils (urad dal), red chile and curry leaves and stir for 20 to 30 seconds, until the dal is golden.
- Add the cabbage, carrot and salt. Toss for 1 minute, then sprinkle with the water, cover and cook for 3 minutes over medium heat.
- Uncover, make a well in the middle of the vegetables and add the coconut mixture. Cover the coconut with some of the cabbage and leave it undisturbed for 1 minute to steam.
- Toss everything together and cook uncovered for 2 to 3 minutes, until the cabbage is tender-crisp and any liquid has evaporated. Taste for salt and serve.
Kitchen notes
- The finer the cabbage is shredded, the better the texture. A sharp knife works better than a grater here.
- Green beans, beets or carrots alone can be made the same way; adjust the cooking time.
- Do not overcook; the stir-fry should be moist and tender, not soft.
Storing and reheating
Refrigerate for up to 2 days. Reheat briefly in a hot pan so the cabbage does not turn limp.
To serve alongside
Serve with rice and Bottle Gourd and Split Chickpea Stew, or with Lemon Coconut Rice.
A gentle note: this recipe is shared for cooking enjoyment only. It is not medical or dietary advice. If you have allergies or specific dietary needs, check every ingredient label and adapt the recipe to suit you.
