Patta Gobhi Matar | Cabbage Peas

Ingredients

• 200 grams cabbage (band gobhi or patta gobhi) or 4 cups of shredded cabbage
• ¾ to 1 cup of fresh peas (matar)
• 1 medium onion or ½ cup of finely chopped onion
• 1 medium to large tomato or ½ cup of finely chopped tomatoes
• ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
• ½ teaspoon kashmiri chilli powder
• ½ teaspoon coriander powder
• ½ teaspoon garam masala
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• ¾ to 1 teaspoon ginger garlic paste or ½ inch ginger and 2 to 3 cloves of garlic – crushed to a paste in a mortar-pestle
• 1.5 to 2 tablespoon oil
• salt as required
• few coriander leaves for garnishing

Steps

1. Rinse the cabbage, then shred it with a knife or food processor, or chop it instead.
2. Rinse the peas and set them aside, then finely chop the onions and tomatoes.

making cabbage matar

1. Heat the oil in a frying pan or a handleless kadai (wok), and let the cumin splutter first.
2. Follow with the ginger-garlic paste, stirring and sautéing until its raw aroma disappears.
3. Sauté the chopped onions after adding them, using low to medium heat until translucent.
4. Add the tomatoes and stir, then follow with turmeric powder, red chilli powder and coriander powder.
5. Over low to medium heat, stir and sauté until oil comes away from the sides of the mixture.
6. Put in the shredded or chopped cabbage, followed by the green peas.
7. Mix very thoroughly and add salt to season.
8. Stir once more, then cover the pan with a rimmed lid filled with water and cook over low to medium heat. This method forms steam inside the pan to cook the vegetables, so no water needs to be added to them.
9. A couple of times during cooking, carefully lift off the lid and stir.
10. Put the cover back on and keep cooking over low to medium heat until the peas soften. Refill the rimmed lid with a little more water if its water dries up.
11. Once the peas are cooked, simmer over low flame if moisture remains in the pan, until it dries up a little. The original cook usually leaves some moisture in the vegetables. Finish by adding garam masala powder and chopped coriander leaves, and mix thoroughly.
12. Serve the cabbage and peas with chapatis or phulkas; bread is another serving option.