Indian Cabbage

 If you think you don’t like cabbage (like my husband) you have GOT to try this recipe!  You’ll swear you are not eating cabbage!!  No cabbage odor or taste whatsoever to this dish!  It is a delightfully crunchy side dish with grilled Tandoori Chicken or pork chops!  I order my nigella seeds (black onion seeds or kalongi seed) on-line, but you may be fortunate to have a spice supplier where you live.  You could even omit them without serious damage to the overall taste of this dish.   By the way, I discovered quite by accident that browning ½ lb. of ground beef to this dish is REALLY good and this way it makes a complete meal!  Be sure to recalculate nutritionals if you add meat though.  This recipe is Atkins Induction friendly.

VARIATION:  Instead of cabbage, substitute French style frozen green beans (cooked to tender-crisp stage).  Sprinkle 2 T. dessicated coconut on the beans and toss right before serving. I like this variation just as well as the cabbage version.  We used to have these two dishes at The Taj Majal restaurant on the Gulf Freeway in Houston years ago.  I was always amazed at how good they were and how much the vegetables almost didn’t taste like themselves at all!  But no matter, the dishes were always excellent!

INGREDIENTS: 4 T. unsalted butter

½ tsp. whole cumin seed

1 jalapeno, seeded and cut into 1/8″ strips (julienned)

2 oz. thinly sliced yellow onion

1 carrot, grated

2 ½ c. cabbage, ¼” shred with a knife (it’s too fine with a food processor)

Pinch salt

Pinch ground turmeric

½ tsp. nigella seeds (I order from Penzey’s Spices)

½ tsp. my Garam Masala spice blend

1 T. lemon juice

DIRECTIONS: Melt the butter in a non-stick wok or large skillet.  Add cumin seed, slivered jalapeno, onion, turmeric and salt.  Stir fry on medium-high heat until onions are beginning to get soft.  Add cabbage and carrot and remaining spices.  Continue to stir-fry until cabbage begins to soften.  Squeeze on lemon juice, stir and serve at once.

NUTRITIONAL INFO: Makes 4 servings, each contains:

129 cals, 12g fat 7.0g carbs, 2.2g fiber, 4.8g NET CARBS, 1.1g protein, 63 mg sodium