Cabbage and lentils are a very common combo in my kitchen, so I put them together to make this braised cabbage with red lentil dal! The cabbage is beautifully charred and tender, the perfect pairing for a well-spiced red lentil dal.
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How often I talk to people about cabbage is getting out of hand, but cabbage really is the gift that keeps on giving! Versatile, fiber-rich, hearty, and affordable. This braised cabbage with red lentil dal used about a dollar of cabbage and like 30 cents of lentils, so even if it doesn’t make you obsessed with cabbage, at least you’ll be balling on a budget. This recipe is inspired by a recipe from Hetty Lui McKinnon’s Tender Heart!
I came around to cabbage when I started roasting wedges and glazing them with different flavors, but braising the cabbage has a similar result texture-wise. Our braising liquid is a masoor or red lentil dal, but a little thicker, because I wanted this dal to be very scoopable. Every time I post a pressure cooked dal recipe, there is someone asking for stovetop instructions, and I think masoor dal is probably the best one to cook on the stove because it’s the quickest, taking just 15-20 minutes to cook. After making the dal, place your charred cabbage on it and cover for 10 minutes. Serve with roti or rice!
Braised Cabbage with Red Lentil Dal
Ingredients
- ½ a medium head of green cabbage or savoy cabbage, cut into ~ 6 wedges
- 2 tbsp avocado oil or another neutral oil, divided
- ½ medium red onion, finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 inch ginger, minced
- 1 green chili, minced
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- ½ tsp red chili powder
- 2 roma tomatoes, diced
- 1 tsp salt, plus more to taste
- 1 cup red lentils/masoor dal
- 2 cups water
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp kashmiri chili powder (optional)
- cilantro for garnishing
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a pan that is large enough to fit all the cabbage wedges. Char the cabbage wedges for 4-5 minutes per side over medium-high heat. Take the cabbage out of the pan and set aside. You'll need the pan later.
- Prepare the dal. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a saucepan overe medium heat. Add the onion and cook for ~ 5 minutes or until translucent. Add garlic, ginger, and green chilis. Stir for another couple minutes, letting the raw ginger smell go away. Add turmeric, cumin, coriander, and red chili powder. Combine well for a minute.
- Add tomatoes and salt. Cook until the tomatoes' juices have mostly evaporated and everything is well combined. Add lentils and water. Bring to a simmer and simmer uncovered over medium heat for 15 minutes, until the lentils are mostly cooked. In the last couple of minutes, finish with garam masala and kashmiri chili powder (if using).
- Pour the dal into the pan you used to char the cabbage. Keep it over medium heat. Place the cabbage on the dal. Cover for 10 minutes, until the cabbage is tender and the dal is fully cooked!
To continue your cabbage obsession, you might want to check out…
Roasted Cabbage Wedges with Curry Leaf Ranch
