This cabbage rice is Indian style fried rice made with shredded cabbage, basmati rice, onions, tomatoes and spices.

Recipe Snapshot

  • Prep time: 40 minutes
  • Cook time: 20 minutes
  • Total time: 60 minutes
  • Yield: 3
  • Category: Main Course
  • Cuisine: Indian

Ingredients

  • 200 grams basmati rice (or 1 cup heaped basmati rice - rinsed and soaked in water for 30 minutes)
  • 1.5 cups water (for pressure cooking rice)
  • ¼ teaspoon salt as required
  • 2 to 2.5 tablespoon oil
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1 inch cinnamon
  • 2 green cardamoms
  • 2 cloves
  • 1 small to medium tej patta ((Indian bay leaf))
  • 1 medium onion (chopped or ⅓ cup chopped onion)
  • 1 medium tomato (chopped or ⅓ cup chopped tomatoes)
  • ½ inch ginger + 4 medium garlic + 1 or 2 green chilies (- crushed to a paste in mortar-pestle)
  • 250 grams cabbage (or 3 cups of shredded cabbage or half of a medium cabbage - shredded)
  • ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder ((ground turmeric))
  • ¼ teaspoon red chili powder
  • ¼ teaspoon garam masala
  • ½ teaspoon coriander powder ((ground coriander))
  • salt as required
  • some chopped coriander leaves ((cilantro leaves) or mint leaves for garnishing)

Method

Cooking rice

  1. Pick and rinse 1 cup (200 grams) basmati rice in running water till the water runs clear of starch. Soak the rice in enough water for 30 minutes. Later drain the water from the rice and keep the rice grains aside.
  2. Add the rice in a 2 liter pressure cooker. Also add 1.5 cups water and salt.
  3. Pressure cook the rice for 2 to 3 whistles or for 9 to 10 minutes on a medium heat.
  4. When the pressure comes down on its own, then only open the lid and gently fluff the rice with a fork. Keep aside and let the rice become warm or cool down at room temperature.

Preparation for cabbage rice

  1. When the rice is cooking, shred or grate 250 grams cabbage. You can also chop the cabbage. 250 grams cabbage gives about 3 cups of shredded cabbage. Keep aside.
  2. Also crush ginger + garlic + green chilies, in a mortar-pestle. Chop onion as well as tomato. Keep aside.
  3. Before shredding the cabbage, peel and remove the top skin from the cabbage. Rinse and then halve or quarter the cabbage and blanch in hot water for about 5 minutes.

Making cabbage rice

  1. Heat oil in a frying pan or wok. On a low to medium heat, add the whole spices - cumin seeds, cinnamon, green cardamoms, cloves and tej patta. Fry the spices till they splutter and become fragrant. Take care that you don't burn the spices.
  2. Then add chopped onions and stir.
  3. On medium heat saute the onions till translucent stirring often.
  4. Next add crushed ginger + garlic + green chilies. You can crush in a mortar-pestle.
  5. Saute on low heat for a couple of seconds or till the raw aroma of ginger and garlic goes away.
  6. Next add chopped tomatoes. Stir and mix well.
  7. Then add turmeric powder, red chili powder, garam masala powder and coriander powder.
  8. On a medium heat, stir and saute the whole masala till the tomatoes soften and become pulpy. You should also see oil releasing from the sides.
  9. Now add the shredded cabbage. At this step, if you want then you can also add grated carrot or finely chopped or thinly sliced capsicum (bell pepper).
  10. Mix the cabbage very well with the rest of the masala.
  11. Season with salt as per taste.
  12. Stir fry the cabbage on a medium heat and cook them till they turn translucent.
  13. Then add the cooked rice.
  14. Gently mix the rice with the cabbage mixture. You can also add the rice in parts and mix.
  15. Saute the cabbage fried rice for 2 to 3 minutes more after mixing.
  16. Garnish with coriander leaves or mint leaves.
  17. Serve cabbage rice hot or warm with a simple dal or raita or yogurt. You can also have it as is.

Kiyaan Singh’s Kitchen Note

Keep this recipe as a working base: cook once as written, then adjust spice, texture, and serving style for your own table.