Cabbage side

A delightful combination of cabbage, tomatoes and ginger is sure to trigger your senses. Shredded cabbage is usually found inside dumplings, but the mix of red fresh tomatoes and fresh cut ginger flavor as in the following cabbage recipe allows to enjoy this vegetable as a side, or as a filling inside a wrap or as an addition to the cooked plain noodles. The leftovers from the following recipe taste delicious the following day, but would not stay fresh for long. So enjoy within 1-2 days.  I usually boil noodles in water and mix the leftover cabbage side to make a crunchy, tomato-ginger flavored noodles- as a snack.

Ingredients:

1 small cabbage finely chopped

2-3 large tomatoes finely chopped

1-2 tblsp ginger paste (I prefer using fresh garlic for enhanced flavor) 

1-2 green chillies

1/2 medium onion finely chopped (optional)

Condiments

1 tsp mustard seeds

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp Punjabi garam masala

Salt to taste

3-4 tbsp Oil for tempering

1. Wash the cabbage under running water. Cut it in half, work on each half to finely chop.  

(Tip: If cabbage is huge, I usually cook only half of the cabbage and save the rest in the refrigerator for some other time).

2. To preheated oil add mustard seeds and let it splutter.

2. Now add cumin seeds and let them splutter.

3.  Add ginger and saute till golden brown.

4. Add turmeric, chopped green chilly and red chilly powder (I skipped red chilly powder so that my toddler can eat it too) and salt.

5. Now add onions and tomatoes, mix. (Onions are optional, tomato is the main ingredient). Cook for 2-3 mins.

6. Now add chopped cabbage, mix well. Add 1/2 cup water and let it simmer covered. Mix every 2 minutes, cook till the cabbage is soft and turns mushy- about 10-12 mins. Keep stirring and making sure there is enough water in the pan to avoid cabbage sticking to the pan.