Sautéed Cabbage

  • 15m Prep Time
  • 20m Cook Time
  • 35m Ready In

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  • Cuisine : American
  • Course : Side Dish

This sautéed cabbage recipe offers two flavorful variations: one with crispy bacon and fresh herbs, and another with Indian-inspired spices like mustard seeds, cumin, and turmeric. Both are quick and easy side dishes that pair well with a variety of mains.

Ingredients

Servings:
  • One medium head cabbage (about 2 pounds), trimmed and cored
  • 4 slices bacon
  • 1 small onion, thinly sliced
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ cup chopped herbs such as parsley, thyme, tarragon, dill, or a combination
  • Lemon juice or cider vinegar to taste
  • One small head cabbage (about 1½ pounds), trimmed and cored
  • 1
    • 1 pound butter
    Sub-recipe steps
    1. Melt in a saucepan over low heat: 1 pound butter
    2. Once melted, do not stir. Skim off any foam that comes to the surface.
    3. For clarified butter, remove from the heat after the foaming ceases. Let stand a few minutes, allowing the milk solids to settle to the bottom. Carefully pour the liquid into a heatproof container, leaving the solids behind, or pour through a fine-mesh sieve lined with a coffee filter or flour sack towel.
    4. For ghee, continue heating the butter over the lowest heat possible, keeping it below a simmer until golden and brown milk solids have settled at the bottom of the pan. This can take up to 1 hour. At this slow rate, the milk solids settle nicely. Pour or strain into a container as for clarified butter.
    5. Both can be stored in an airtight container for 6 to 8 months in the refrigerator. When chilled, clarified butter and ghee become grainy. They should not be used as a spread, only in cooking.
  • 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
  • ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
  • ½ teaspoon coriander seeds
  • (2 small dried red chiles, seeded and stemmed)
  • 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
  • (1 sprig curry leaves, stem discarded)
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • (¼ cup chopped cilantro)
  • 1
    • 1 cup yellow split peas or red lentils
    • 3 cups water
    • 1 small onion, sliced
    • 2 serrano or jalapeño peppers, seeded and finely chopped
    • 1 Roma or plum tomato, diced
    • 2 garlic cloves, minced
    • 1-inch piece ginger, peeled and minced or grated
    • ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
    • ¾ teaspoon salt
    • Chopped cilantro
    • Dal I
    • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil or Ghee
    • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
    • 1 teaspoon coriander seeds, crushed
    • 1 teaspoon black or brown mustard seeds
    • (4 dried small red chiles, seeded if desired)
    • (¼ teaspoon ajwain seeds)
    • (15 fresh curry leaves)
    • (¼ teaspoon asafoetida)
    Sub-recipe steps
    1. Rinse, pick over, and place in a large saucepan: 1 cup yellow split peas or red lentils
    2. Add: 3 cups water; 1 small onion, sliced; 2 serrano or jalapeño peppers, seeded and finely chopped; 1 Roma or plum tomato, diced; 2 garlic cloves, minced; 1-inch piece ginger, peeled and minced or grated; ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
    3. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover, and simmer until the legumes are tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Stir in: ¾ teaspoon salt
    4. Simmer, partially covered, until the dal is thickened to the consistency of split pea soup, about 20 minutes. Ladle into serving bowls and garnish with: Chopped cilantro
    5. Serve with: Cooked basmati rice, Naan, or other flatbread
    6. DAL TADKA (WITH FRIED SPICES)
    7. Our favorite lentil dish by a long shot. Fried whole spices and spice-infused ghee or oil is the perfect seasoning for a bowl of dal.
    8. Prepare all of the ingredients for: Dal I
    9. Set aside the peppers, garlic, and ginger. Bring the lentils and onions to a simmer and cook as directed. Meanwhile, heat in a small saucepan or skillet over medium heat: 3 tablespoons vegetable oil or Ghee
    10. Add the reserved peppers, garlic, and ginger along with: 1 teaspoon cumin seeds; 1 teaspoon coriander seeds, crushed; 1 teaspoon black or brown mustard seeds; (4 dried small red chiles, seeded if desired); (¼ teaspoon ajwain seeds)
    11. Allow to sizzle briskly in the oil until very fragrant, about 1 minute, but be careful not to burn the garlic. If desired, cautiously stir in (the curry leaves will sputter): (15 fresh curry leaves); (¼ teaspoon asafoetida)
    12. Remove from the heat and set aside. When the dal has finished simmering, top each bowl with a spoonful of the fried spice mixture. Garnish and serve as directed above.

Let's Prepare

Collect

Gather these ingredients - no prep needed yet.

  • One medium head cabbage (about 2 pounds), trimmed and cored
  • 4 slices bacon
  • 1 small onion, thinly sliced
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ cup chopped herbs such as parsley, thyme, tarragon, dill, or a combination
  • Lemon juice or cider vinegar to taste
  • One small head cabbage (about 1½ pounds), trimmed and cored
  • 1 3 tablespoons Clarified Butter or vegetable oil
  • 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
  • ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
  • ½ teaspoon coriander seeds
  • (2 small dried red chiles, seeded and stemmed)
  • 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
  • (1 sprig curry leaves, stem discarded)
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • (¼ cup chopped cilantro)
  • 1 Dal and cooked basmati rice

Let's Cook

  1. Step 1.

    Shred: One medium head cabbage (about 2 pounds), trimmed and cored

  2. Step 2.

    Cook in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp: 4 slices bacon

  3. Step 3.

    Tranfer the bacon to paper towels to drain. Increase the heat to medium-high. Add and sauté in the bacon fat until golden, about 5 minutes: 1 small onion, thinly sliced

  4. Step 4.

    Add the shredded cabbage along with: ½ teaspoon salt

  5. Step 5.

    Cook, stirring, until the cabbage is crisp-tender. Serve with the bacon crumbled over the top along with: ¼ cup chopped herbs such as parsley, thyme, tarragon, dill, or a combination; Lemon juice or cider vinegar to taste

  6. Step 6.

    WITH CHILES AND FRIED SPICES

  7. Step 7.

    Shred: One small head cabbage (about 1½ pounds), trimmed and cored

  8. Step 8.

    Heat in a large skillet or wok over medium heat until shimmering: 3 tablespoons Clarified Butter or vegetable oil

  9. Step 9.

    Add and fry, stirring frequently, until fragrant and beginning to pop, 1 to 2 minutes: 1 teaspoon mustard seeds; ½ teaspoon cumin seeds; ½ teaspoon coriander seeds; (2 small dried red chiles, seeded and stemmed)

  10. Step 10.

    Add and fry for a minute or less (be careful, the leaves will sputter a bit): 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced; (1 sprig curry leaves, stem discarded)

  11. Step 11.

    Promptly add the shredded cabbage and increase the heat to medium-high. Stir in: ¾ teaspoon salt; ½ teaspoon ground turmeric

  12. Step 12.

    Cook, stirring, until the cabbage is crisp-tender, 5 to 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in: 1 tablespoon lemon juice; (¼ cup chopped cilantro)

  13. Step 13.

    Serve immediately as a side dish or as a light meal with: Dal and cooked basmati rice

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