Cabbage fry recipe – a healthy protein enriched cabbage vepudu made with moong dal. This lentil & stir fried cabbage dish is not only healthy & delicious but is also easy to make. It can be served with rice, phulka, roti or chapati.
Cabbage is one of those veggies I use very often at home to make various dishes. Apart from adding it to fried rice, sandwiches, stir fry dishes & raita, I also make a lot of dishes with cabbage.
Here are some cabbage curry , cabbage paratha , cabbage kootu & manchurian.
We love this Chinese style stir fried cabbage at home which is a perfect pair with roti or sandwiches. But this moong dal and cabbage is protein packed & is great to enjoy with some rice and ghee.
The entire dish is made by just stir frying and sauteeing. I have not used any water either to cook the lentils or the cabbage. Soaked lentils cook on their own when covered and simmered. If needed you may sprinkle some water.
To get a non-mushy fry, always use cabbage at room temperature and make sure the water is drained thoroughly. Fry it on medium high flame, tossing in between.
It is best to use young cabbage for stir fry for best flavors.
Step-by-step photos
Preparation
1. Wash and soak moong dal in water for about an hour. After 1 hour drain the dal.
2. Chop cabbage and add them to a bowl of slightly salted warm water. I added a tablespoon of salt to 4 cups of water.
3. Drain it off to a colander. There should be no water left in the cabbage otherwise it will turn mushy when you cook.
4. Add oil to a hot pan. When the oil is hot, add mustard and cumin. When they begin to crackle, add ginger (grated or chopped), curry leaves and slit green chili.
5. Drain water from the dal and add it here. Cook covered on a low heat until the lentils become tender. You can also sprinkle little water if the lentils are too dry.
6. Add cabbage and turmeric. Fry on a medium high flame, rossing in between. Fry till the raw smell of the cabbage goes off.
7. Keep stirring and fry until cabbage turns slightly tender yet crunchy. Add salt and stir fry just before you turn off the heat. If using coconut, sprinkle and mix well. Taste test and add more salt if needed.
Tip: If the cabbage is not young, it won’t cook well. In that case, cover and cook on a low heat until tender. I do not cover and cook as mine turns mushy.
Serve cabbage vepudu with rice or roti.
Recipe
Cabbage fry recipe | cabbage vepudu
For best results follow the step-by-step photos above the recipe card
Ingredients (1 cup = 240ml )
- 2 cups cabbage , shredded
- 3 tablespoons moong dal (pesara pappu)
- ½ to 1 Inch ginger julienned (or 2 to 3 garlic cloves chopped)
- 1 sprig curry leaves
- 1 to 2 green chilies slit or chopped
- ¼ teaspoon mustard seeds
- ¼ teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 to 2 tbsp oil
- ⅛ teaspoon turmeric
- salt to taste
optional
- 2 tbsp coconut grated
Instructions
- Rinse and soak dal in water for about an hour. Drain it and set aside.
- Shred cabbage and add to a bowl of salted warm water. Drain the water and rinse well again twice. Drain to a colander and set aside. Make sure there is no water left in the cabbage before cooking.
- Heat oil in a heavy bottom pan. Add mustard and cumin. When they splutter, add curry leaves, green chili and ginger. Fry them till a nice aroma comes out.
- Drain water from the dal and add it here. Cover and cook on a low heat until dal becomes tender. This takes around 3 to 4 mins. Do not add water. If needed sprinkle 1 to 2 tbsps water while cooking.
- Increase the flame to medium high, add cabbage and turmeric. Toss and fry for 3 to 4 mins until cabbage is slightly tender yet crunchy. Troubleshooting: If the cabbage is not young it won't cook well. In that case, cover and cook until it turns tender. But be cautious & don't cover if using young cabbage as it may let out water, making the whole thing mushy.
- Add salt, toss and fry for a min on high flame. If you cook longer after adding salt, it will let out water. So add salt only when cabbage is cooked to your liking.
- If you have grated coconut you can sprinkle it and switch off the stove. Serve cabbage fry with rice or chapathi.
NUTRITION INFO (estimation only)
Notes
Alternative quantities provided in the recipe card are for 1x only, original recipe.
For best results follow my detailed step-by-step photo instructions and tips above the recipe card.
© Swasthi’s Recipes
Sree Kumar Kesavan says
Tried it today.
Loved it.
swasthi says
Thank you!
Glad you liked it!
Maricarmen Weiss says
In India they don’t etat too much raw vegetables and that is a great way of eating because basing in Ayurveda Cience the stomac does not digest well raw veg. and that cloggs the digestion and gest fermented. I think that people from India should not try to force their fantastic way of eating just because in western world we appretiate like a good eating fiber and raw food. That congests the systems according to Ayurved on the other hand; Indians shoud TEACH us the fantastic and totally perfect way of their ancestral way of preparing food and not to please the stupid way of beeing vegetarian in this part of the world. Vegetarian in this part of the world don’t have any scientific support to eat in that awful way. They count calories insted of looking the good digestion of the digestive system that will keep the good health and good nutrition of the body so a well nurished ody will not e fat nor skiny.
swasthi says
yes indeed this is a good way of consuming veggies for most of us Indians. Thanks for the comment
Swapna says
This is very helpful to me.thank u
swasthi says
welcome swapna
Kathy says
When do you add the curry leaves?
swasthi says
Add them with the ginger
Madhavi Reddy says
Great job
Amrita Vishal says
Very healthy and yummy looking
divya says
Looks so yum n tempting …nice click
Julie says
healthy stir fry!
PT says
love it with rasam rice dear..
Priti S says
Just had this yday …one of my fav and looks yum
WeR SAHM says
Looks delicious..
Priya says
One of my favourite stir fry,just need a bowl of rice to enjoy.
Sanoli Ghosh says
Very healthy and nice stirfry. Your suggestion will keep in mind always. A must try recipe, looks delicious.<br />
Ramya Krishnamurthy says
yummy and delicious
priya satheesh says
Healthy n tasty.. Perfect with rice!
Vimitha Anand says
Healthy stir fry
Hari Chandana P says
healthy and delicious vepudu.. Yummy !!
Archana Potdar says
This is yum. The cabbage I fry is on low flame so I hing its wettish. Will try your suggestion.