Servings: 6
Source: From “The Vegetarian Table India” by Yamuna Devi
Called bandgobhi kachambar, this Gujarati salad is served in small portions at room temperature as a relish, or hot, in vegetable-sized portions, as a side dish. Peanuts are widely used in Gujarat. Here the toasted nuts glisten among the fine shreds of wilted cabbage. This so-simple, so-good salad is slightly hot and sweet, the cast of Gujarati flavors including ginger, chilies, mustard seeds, curry leaves, sugar, and lime juice.
Ingredients
1½ pounds Savoy or green cabbage
1-inch piece fresh ginger
1 or 2 jalapeño chilies
1½ tablespoons ghee or peanut oil
2 teaspoons brown mustard seeds
10 to 15 fre5h curry leaves
2 large carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
½ tablespoon sugar
1 cup peanuts, toasted
julienned zest and juice of 1 lime
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
salt and cracked black Malabar pepper
Directions
Core and very finely shred the cabbage. Peel and cut the ginger into paper-thin matchsticks. Halve, seed, and cut the jalapeño into a thin julienne.
Heat the ghee or oil in a large skillet or wok over high heat; add the mustard seeds. When they begin to pop, add the ginger, chilies, and curry leaves and fry for about 30 seconds. Add the cabbage, carrots, and sugar. Stir-fry until the cabbage begins to wilt and turns bright green; 3 or 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and transfer to a salad bowl. Mix in the peanuts, lime zest and juice, cilantro. Season with salt and pepper to taste.