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Curry topped with cilantro and serrano slices, served in a skillet with naan.
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Creamy Cabbage Curry

Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time35 minutes
Total Time50 minutes
Servings: 4
Calories: 453.1kcal
Author: Nisha Vora

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons (28g) neutral oil of choice (such as avocado oil)
  • 4 fat cloves (21g) garlic, chopped
  • 1 to 3 serrano peppers, finely chopped (3 for spicy!)
  • 8 cups (400 to 480g) green cabbage, shredded or thinly sliced (see Note 1)
  • Kosher salt and black pepper (see Note 2)
  • 2 tablespoons (30g) tomato paste
  • 2 teaspoons Kashmiri chili powder (see Note 3)
  • 1 ½ teaspoons ground coriander
  • 1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 8 ounces (227g) ripe Roma tomatoes, finely chopped (see Note 4)
  • 1 (13.5 oz / 400 mL) can full-fat coconut milk
  • 2 tablespoons (32g) almond butter or cashew butter (or tahini if nut-free)
  • 1 (15 oz / 425g) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 1 teaspoon garam masala
  • 1 lime, juiced
  • 1 cup (16g) fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems, chopped

Instructions

  • Heat the oil in a 12-inch sauté pan over medium-high for a few minutes, or until shimmering. Add the garlic and serrano pepper and stir very frequently for 30 to 60 seconds until fragrant (you don’t want the garlic to brown).
  • Add the cabbage and use tongs to coat it into the oil and aromatics, tossing well. Season with ½ teaspoon kosher salt. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until tender and browned in spots.
    NOTE: If it starts to brown quickly, lower the heat to medium. If you start to see browned bits stock to the bottom of the pan, add a splash of water to deglaze.
    Multitasking option. While the cabbage cooks: (a) In a small bowl combine the tomato paste, coriander, cumin, chili powder, turmeric, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and lots of black pepper; (b) finely chop the tomatoes and set aside.
  • While the cabbage cooks: (a) In a small bowl combine the tomato paste, red chili powder, coriander, cumin, turmeric, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and lots of black pepper; (b) finely chop the tomatoes and set aside.
  • To the cabbage, add the tomato paste-spice mixture. Stir very frequently for 2 minutes, coating the tomato paste into the cabbage. If things start to dry out, deglaze the pan with a splash of water. Add the fresh tomatoes and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, or until the tomatoes have softened and almost melted into the cabbage.
  • Pour in the coconut milk, drained chickpeas, almond butter, and ½ teaspoon kosher salt. Adjust the heat to maintain a simmer and simmer (uncovered) for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring every few minutes to prevent sticking. The curry will thicken as it cooks, so if you want a looser texture, add ¼ to ½ cup water (60 to 120 mL).
    a. NOTE: I prefer simmering for 20 minutes, as it gives the ingredients enough time to mask the coconut flavor, but you can taste at 15 minutes and check.
  • Remove from the heat. Stir in the garam masala, several squeezes of lime juice, and the chopped cilantro. Season to taste with salt or more lime juice as desired. If possible, rest for 5 to 10 minutes to allow flavors to meld.
  • Serve with cooked rice or flatbread. NOTE: leftovers will thicken considerably in the fridge, so you may want to thin it out with some water on the stove.

Notes

  1. 1 small cabbage (1 ¼ to 1 ½ lbs / 570 to 680g) will typically yield this amount of cabbage once sliced/shredded.
  2. I use Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt. If you're using sea salt or table salt, use less salt, about half the amount, then season to taste. 
  3. Kashmiri chili powder is a mild Indian chili powder with a bright red color and slightly sweet, smoky flavor. Substitute: 1 ¾ tsps sweet or hot paprika and ¼ tsp cayenne pepper (or 2 tsps paprika and omit the cayenne).
  4. This is about 2 medium Roma tomatoes. For a shortcut, you can use canned crushed tomatoes, but you'll want to measure out about 8 oz / 230g.