Maharashtrian cuisine is replete with plenty of dry sabzis and gravies. Be it a fiery meat curry or a crispy fried fish, the non-vegetarian fare of the state is quite vast. But so are the vegetarian delights. Pick any Marathi household’s lunch menu and you’ll find pithla, bharli vangi, and many other veggie options. One such quick and easy dry sabzi is Kobichi Bhaji.
Bhaji, for the unversed, is a Mahashtrian way of referring to subzi. Kobichi is the local name for cabbage and that’s how the dish gets its name. The shredded cabbage ki sabzi can feature as a main-course or a side dish. It is light, healthy and super-easy to make. Not just that, it is a great accompaniment for dal and rice. Made with minimum ingredients, easily available in the kitchen pantry, Kobichi Bhaji is a treat to the taste buds.
The steamed cabbage is sautéed with spices like turmeric, mustard and cumin seeds and is served hot and crispy. This dish can also be made without adding onions and garlic, making it ideal for fasts. Here’s a recipe for Kobichi Bhaji that you can try at home.
Kobichi Bhaji
• 2 cups chopped cabbage
• ½ cup soaked chana dal
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 7 garlic cloves
• 3 green chillies
• Curry leaves
• Chopped coriander leaves
Method:
• Start by adding cumin and mustard seeds to oil in a pan.
• Once it starts making the trickling sound, add in spices like turmeric powder, green chillies and garlic.
• Meanwhile, soak the chana dal.
• Next, add some curry leaves and add salt to taste.
• Finally, throw in the chopped cabbage and the soaked chana dal.
• Sauté it for a few minutes and let it cook with the lid covered.
• Once the cabbage turns soft and the dal is also properly cooked, turn off the flame.
• Garnish with coriander leaves and serve with chapatti or rice.
