The online magazine
dedicated to the
discussion & revival
of British foodways.

NO.73
SPRING / SUMMER2024

Cabbage with peas

Madhur Jaffrey’s cabbage with peas from her Illustrated Indian Cookery is among our household standbys. It is, as she indicates, as equally suited to western as Indian dishes; she likes to serve it with pork chops.

  • A black and white drawing of vegetables4 Tablespoons neutral oil
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 teaspoons cumin seed
  • about ½ lb cored and shredded Savoy cabbage
  • about 2/3 cup defrosted frozen peas
  • about ¼ teaspoon cayenne
  • heaped ¼ teaspoon turmeric
  • a seeded chili of your choice, seeded and minced
  • scant teaspoon salt
  • scant teaspoon sugar
  • about ½ teaspoon garam masala
  1. Set the oil in a big skillet over medium high heat; once it shimmers throw in the bay and cumin, then cook for a couple of seconds until the bay begins to color.
  2. Immediately stir the cabbage and peas into the pan followed by the cayenne and turmeric.
  3. Cover the pan, reduce the heat to low and cook until the cabbage is tender, usually in about five minutes or a bit more.
  4. Add the chili, salt and sugar, recover the pan and cook for another couple of minutes before stirring the garam masala into the mix.
  5. Ditch the bay leaves and serve the dish hot.

Notes:

  • Jaffrey specifies “green English cabbage” instead of Savoy.
  • We have increased some of the spicing.