Easy cabbage and chickpea curry in under 30 minutes
Don’t be fooled by the long list of ingredients - this turmeric coconut cabbage and chickpea curry is easy and quick to come together.
It was originally designed for a client, who is re-introducing cruciferous vegetables into her diet by making them more digestible (because sometimes it’s not what you’re eating, but how you’re eating it).
Made with sautéed cabbage and chickpeas, a slew of digestive spices, dried chilis (which are hot and totally optional), coconut milk, fresh herbs and lime.
Keep scrolling to learn more, including why it’s so damn good for you and ideas on how to recreate it at home and even make adjustments based on your liking or dietary needs. Or just scroll to the bottom to check out the full recipe.
Health Perks
Easy to digest. Raw cabbage contains indigestible carbohydrates, and for many, it can cause intense bloating, discomfort and more. Cooking cabbage, however, is a game changer. It greatly reduces the indigestible carbohydrates and makes for a much more comfortable situation. We also used a slew of digestive spices such as cumin, coriander and fennel to further soothe the stomach.
Contains zero aggravating ingredients. This dish is as gentle as it gets. It’s dairy, grain and sugar-free, and made with very minimal oil and cooked in a thoughtful manner that hopefully won’t cause irritation and physical aggravation (with even more tips on that later).
Ideal for vegans and vegetarians. This is a complete protein dish, thanks to chickpeas, because they contain all nine essential amino acids, which are building blocks that help our bodies function properly.
Ideal for weight loss or management. Both the chickpeas and cabbage lend a each serving a great deal of fiber, which promotes satiety (helps you feel full longer) so you don’t over eat. This is great if your goal is weight loss or maintenance. The fiber is also essential for preventing constipation, which helps with elimination and keeps your gut in good health.
Made using 100% plant-based whole foods. Which means it’s a great source of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants - all of which generally promote good health.
Other Thoughts, Tips and Suggestions
Use unrefined coconut oil. It is has a stronger flavor, which is necessary for this dish. While it does have a lower smoke point, you don’t need to worry because we’re not using high heat for this dish.
Grind your spices (except mustard seeds) in a mortar and pestle before adding them to the pan. Grinding your own spices at home is one of the best ways to get the most flavor out of them, and will help you get a high potency and concentration of flavor.
Lean protein option. Chickpeas do contain protein, but also a fair amount of carbohydrates. If that’s not your thing, and you’d like a leaner protein source, use tofu instead.
Great on a bed of white basmati rice or cauliflower rice (to keep things grain-free). Either would be a great addition.
Leave out the dried chili if you’re not into spice. Dried chili peppers add A LOT of heat, which I love this time of year because it can help break down mucus, decongest and cleanse. But leave it out if that’s not your thing, or use chili powder flakes (a lot less intense, if you ask me) instead.
Simplify things even more. If you want to try this and don’t have all of the spices handy, you can cook it up using curry powder and garam masala which are blends of a lot of the digestive spices I use in my recipes. Play around. Have fun!
Try Asafoetida. Garlic and onions add a lot of flavor to dishes and each have a ton of health benefits. But for some, they can be difficult to digest and cause bloating, gas and discomfort. If this is the case for you, try cooking with asafoetida. It is optional in this recipe, but adds a ton of flavor and I highly recommend incorporating it into your dishes.
Tools I Used (And Love)
Ensure you have everything you need to prepare your dishes before you set out to make them. And if you don’t, these are the exact tools I used and loved that I know you will too!
Check out the full recipe below. Hope you love it as much as I do!
Cabbage and Chickpea Curry
Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 25 minutes Yields: 2-4 servings
Ingredients:
1 tbsp unrefined coconut oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp fennel seeds
1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds
1/2 tsp coriander seeds
1/2 tsp brown mustard seeds
8-10 fresh curry leaves
1/2 head of green cabbage, roughly chopped
(1) 425g can of chickpeas, rinsed thoroughly
1 tsp ground turmeric
1/2 tsp mineral salt
1/8 tsp asafoetida (optional)
1 dried chili, rehydrated and de-seeded or (optional)
1/2 can of coconut milk (or more if you like your curry more watery/less chunky)
Small handful fresh cilantro, de-stemmed and chopped
Small handful fresh mint, de-stemmed and chopped
1 lime, juiced
Directions
Grind spices. In a mortar and pestle, grind your cumin, fennel, coriander and fenugreek seeds until most have cracked.
Heat oil in pan. Place a large frying pan on a low to medium heat. Once hot (splash some water on top to make sure it sizzles), add coconut oil.
Add spices, mustard seeds and curry leaves. Once oil has melted, add cumin, fennel, coriander, fenugreek, whole mustard seeds and curry leaves. Stir for about 2-3 minutes, until mustard seeds begin to bloom.
Add cabbage and chickpeas and remaining spices. Next add your cabbage, chickpeas and remaining spices (turmeric, salt, asafoetida). Stir until cabbage and chickpeas are evenly coated in spices and cook for an additional 5-8 minutes until cabbage begins to sweat.
Pour in liquids and chili pepper. Now, pour in coconut milk and add chili pepper, and gently mix well. Reduce heat to low and cook for about 10 minutes.
Add in final burst of flavor. Fold in herbs and lime juice for a burst of flavor.
Additional salt to taste. Add in any additional salt, to taste.
Serve warm. On it’s own or a bed of rice, with additional herbs for garnish or avocado slices to offset the spice!
Store. In an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 or 4 days.
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