Recipe Bengali style cabbage with kalonji

Morning Glory

Morning Glory

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Kalonji seeds really work their magic here. Their smoky earthy flavour contrasts beautifully with the sulphurous cabbage. Serve along with other curry dishes and rice or naan bread or as an individual dish topped with a fried egg. Add more chilli for a spicier result. I also used some chopped hard boiled egg as a final garnish.

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Ingredients (serves 1 to 2)
180g -200g cabbage, chopped or shredded
½ medium onion, chopped
1 tbsp mustard oil ( or substitute vegetable oil or ghee)
1 heaped tbsp ginger paste
1 heaped tbsp garlic paste
½ tsp brown mustard seeds
½ tsp kalonji (nigella) seeds
½ tsp cumin seeds
½ tsp ground turmeric
½ tsp Kashmiri chilli
1 Indian bay leaf
2 whole green chillies (pierced in several places with a sharp knife)
75 ml cabbage water
3 whole tinned plum tomatoes, drained
½ tsp garam masala
Salt to taste
Coriander leaves and sliced red onion to garnish (optional)

Method
  1. Cook the cabbage in boiling water until done to your liking. Personally, I don't think you want 'crunchy' cabbage for this dish. Drain and set aside, reserving 75ml of the cabbage water.
  2. Heat oil in a pan and add the chopped onion. Cook over a medium heat until the onion is translucent. Add the ginger and garlic paste and cook for a further 5 minutes.
  3. Add the mustard seeds, kalonji seeds and cumin seeds and fry for 30 seconds.
  4. Add the turmeric, chilli, bay leaf, whole green chilies and cabbage water. Simmer on a low heat for 10 minutes.
  5. Add the tomatoes, cabbage and garam masala. Heat through adding salt, to taste.
  6. Garnish with the coriander leaves and sliced red onion (optional).

82696
 
Love the look of that.
And I agree about the kalonji (nigella) seeds - they´d work beautifully here. Got to be my favourite spice.
Looks like you used tej patta as well!
 
This looks beautiful, and it also looks like something that comes together fairly easily. I have placed an order for nigella seeds and kashmiri chilli powder, since those seem to be the key here. I did look for substitutes, and Chef Internet claims that you can substitute cumin seeds for nigella seeds, and a blend of smoked paprika and cayenne to replace the kashmiri powder. But, I want to try the real thing first so I can decide if those are really valid substitutes. What are your thoughts?
 
The Late Night Gourmet said:
Chef Internet claims that you can substitute cumin seeds for nigella seeds, and a blend of smoked paprika and cayenne to replace the kashmiri powder. But, I want to try the real thing first so I can decide if those are really valid substitutes. What are your thoughts?
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Nigella/kalonji can't be subbed with cumin. Its very different. Kashmiri chilli powder is great to have and you won't regret buying it. Its a super bright red (excellent for tandoori style chicken). Its quite mild. For this recipe, its not strictly essential and any chilli powder could be substituted really. I think the reason that 'Chef Internet' is suggesting paprika and cayenne as a sub, is probably for the colour. But smoked paprika would not be right this recipe.
 
karadekoolaid said:
And is actually cinnamon leaf, I believe.
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From what I can gather it is actually a type of laurel (Lauracea) but there is no doubt it tastes of cinnamon (plus other things). However, confusingly, some sources say its the leaves of cassia, which is a type of Fabaceae.

I'm officially confused reading the following!:
Fabaceae species are known commonly as cassias. Cassia is also the English common name of some species in the genus Cinnamomum of the family Lauraceae.
Click to expand...
 
The Late Night Gourmet said:
I did look for substitutes, and Chef Internet claims that you can substitute cumin seeds for nigella seeds, and a blend of smoked paprika and cayenne to replace the kashmiri powder.
Click to expand...
I get the impression chef internet has been smoking some funny cigarettes. No way would I ever sub cumin for nigella; a totally different flavour profile! Firstly, they´re from totally different botanical families. Cumin is from the "parsley" family : celery, carrot, dill, fennel, etc. and nigella is from the "buttercup" family: delphinium, nigella, anenome, hellebore, etc.
For me, cumin is slightly sweet, warming, nutty and earthy.
Nigella, on the other hand, is onion, oregano, thyme, slightly sweet when cooked perhaps. But very different indeed.
Perhaps the confusion comes from the many names for nigella: kalonji, black onion seeds, black cumin seeds, black caraway, even nutmeg flower. "Black onion seeds" only because they resemble onion seeds. "Black Cumin" already exists in another form - shahi jeera or kala jeera.Caraway and nutmeg - pure fantasy!
As for smoked paprika vs Kashmiri chile, again, no contest. Kashmiri chile powder is much milder than other chile powders and, for me, has no smokiness to it at all. I´d say it´s milder than cayenne powder, but a little stronger than, for example, Anaheim chile.
Go ahead and buy some cumin seeds and some Kashmiri, then play around with them. You won´t be disappointed.
 
Amazing. I was about to google KALONJI, but the recipe and the reading the comments resolved all, primarily how it tastes. I think it looks admirable, and am sure it tasted eye-opening. It is probably one of the dishes you enjoy and then reflect on the multifaceted taste bouquet for hours or even days after. I love how you used fresh red onion to garnish, all that richness plus the fresh crisp onion...one eats incredibly well with cabbage!
 
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