Braised Ghee Cabbage, Two Ways

Cabbage is not exactly a vegetable anybody gets excited about. (If you are the exception, please let me know in the comments). Cabbage is more like the perfect complement for other food. It is a hearty, healthy, vegetable canvas.

From the perspective of overall balance, cabbage is a fantastic support vegetable.

It is a little on the bland side on its own, so when you add ghee and caramelize it as you sauté, and you add simple seasonings, it heightens cabbage’s subtle flavors and turns the braised cabbage into the perfect comfort food.

This recipe for braised ghee cabbage, two ways, was conceived as a side dish, a replacement for the traditional potato or rice starch component of the plate, and part of a larger meal filled with more interesting foods.

At the same time, my braised ghee cabbage is good enough to be eaten and enjoyed on its own …. ahem Heather! 

The taste of cabbage is mild, pungent if it’s good and fresh, and slightly sulfury. It is actually a wonderful taste.

You want to make sure you buy fresh cabbage.

There is no comparison between the taste of fresh, seasonal, locally grown cabbage, and the kind of bland cabbage you might get at your average grocery store. It is worth seeking out the good stuff.

So, on second thought, maybe it’s due to the abundance of bland cabbage in the world that cabbage doesn’t exactly conjure up any warm and fuzzy feelings?

This is despite the fact that Poles, Germans, Russians, the French, Swedes, and Ukrainians stake their cultures on it; all boast traditional cabbage soups. Borscht anyone?

The Good Side Of Ghee Cabbage

Cabbage is getting more popular these days, for the same reasons as cauliflower, which I wrote about last week.

Both are part of the cruciferous family, are low on the glycemic index, and good for diabetics. They are also friendly to the ketogenic and paleo diets.

And when I think of cabbage, my first thought is to appreciate it for not going bad in my fridge, even after weeks.

Maybe it is because of this virtue that we don’t cherish it as much as some of the other vegetables. It doesn’t demand our attention.

However, after getting out my cabbage head and a large chef’s knife, I enjoy chomping down on some of the beautiful inner pieces of the cabbage as I chop.

What I like to do is to relish these bits of raw, sulfury goodness, and imagine them cleaning up my innards with their peppery power as they travel through my digestive system. 

Are you ready to dive into the world of ghee cabbage? It could be more rewarding than you think!

Braised Ghee Cabbage Recipe

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keywords: cabbage

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes minutes

Servings: 2 servings

Calories: 214kcal

Author: Andrea at Buttered Veg

Peppery, sulfury cabbage is not exactly a vegetable anybody gets excited about. But Braised Ghee Cabbage is worth celebrating.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Ingredients

For plain ghee cabbage

• 2 tablespoons ghee, (see notes)
• 6 cups cabbage
• ½ teaspoon Himalayan pink salt, or to taste
• pinch freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons cold water

For turmeric and green bell pepper cabbage

• 2 tablespoons ghee, (see notes)
• ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
• ½ cup green pepper, julienned
• 6 cups cabbage, chopped
• ½ teaspoon Himalayan pink salt, or to taste
• pinch freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons cold water

Instructions

• This recipe works best in a non-stick sauté pan with a fitted lid. A sauté pan is similar to a skillet or frypan, but a sauté pan has straight sides. Any cooking vessel, including a pot, with a matching lid, will also work.
• Heat ghee in sauté pan on medium-high heat. For Turmeric and Green Bell Pepper Cabbage recipe, add turmeric to hot ghee first to release the aroma, and then proceed immediately with adding the green bell peppers.
• Add cabbage, salt, and black pepper. Stir well, add 2 tablespoons cold water, and cover. Stir occasionally and cook for 15 minutes until tender. You are basically braising the vegetables in a little bit of water, and this allows you to reduce the amount of ghee you use. If you like more ghee, go ahead and add it. If you need to add more water to prevent sticking, please add it.

To serve

• Place Braised Ghee Cabbage in a serving bowl and top with ghee. Sprinkle with crushed black pepper, and enjoy with cooked grain, and any vegetable entree, or more vegetables.
• You could consider serving this with Mashed Potato with Celeriac and Vegan Mushroom Gravy, Seared Apple and Cherry Tomato Salad with Goat Cheese, or Quinoa Lentil Loaf.

Notes

If you do not have ghee, substitute with a mixture of half butter and half vegetable oil.

Ghee is a form of clarified butter with a nutty, buttery taste, that is commonly used in Indian cooking. Ghee is generally safe for people with lactose intolerance. It has a high smoke point of 485 degrees Fahrenheit and it is shelf stable at room temperature.

Ghee is widely available outside India. To learn more about ghee and where to buy it, see Quality Ghee & Ghee Buying Tips.

Feel free to embellish this recipe with additional vegetables, such as sliced carrots, celery, kale, or collards. Cherry tomatoes, or any tomato would also be nice. Add spice with garlic, or a pinch of red chili powder, chili flakes, or cayenne pepper.

MAKE THIS VEGAN

Substitute ghee with coconut oil or a quality vegetable oil, such as avocado oil or all-natural organic canola oil.

Nutrition

Calories: 214kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 30mg | Sodium: 1341mg | Potassium: 779mg | Fiber: 11g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 900IU | Vitamin C: 183.6mg | Calcium: 168mg | Iron: 2.3mg

Tried this recipe?Mention @buttered.veg or tag #bvjoyfulcooks!

Did you make this recipe? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

For more Buttered Veg lifestyle content, follow me on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.