Curried Cabbage and Peas

Curried Cabbage and Peas with Basmati Rice

I fell in love with curried cabbage and peas dish at a local Indian restaurant last spring - this fall I finally got around to trying to duplicate it at home. This recipe was created by Anna Thomas and came from The Vegetarian Epicure (book2) via food.com. I modified it to make it entirely vegan and sugar-free and tweaked it a bit for flavors and I think it comes close to the restaurant version. The first time I made this was on a Sunday night - it was so good I made it again the following Thursday! Super easy, incredibly tasty - Mark and I both love it and will make this dish again and again! 

Curried Cabbage and Peas

1 medium head green cabbage
3 T vegetable oil ( although I only use 2)
1 t crushed dried red chilies
1/2 t ground ginger
1/2 t whole mustard seeds
1/2 t cumin
2 bay leaves
1 t ground coriander
1/2 t ground turmeric
2 t salt
1 C water
1 C fresh peas (or frozen)
1 T vegan butter
3/4 garam masala
1 T lemon juice
1/2 t agave nectar


Shred the cabbage coarsely (I use a food processor). Measure out the crushed red chilis, ginger, mustard seeds, cumin, bay leaves, coriander, turmeric, and salt. Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet and stir in the prepared spices. Heat the spices gently for about 2 minutes stirring often.

Add the shredded cabbage and saute it stirring often, until it is evenly coated with the spices and beginning to wilt, 10 to 15 minutes.

Add the water and the peas, cover, and cook over medium heat for 20 minutes. Remove the cover, stir in the butter, garam masala, lemon juice, and sugar, and simmer uncovered, for another 10 to 15 minutes. There should be very little or no excess liquid at this point. Serve hot with rice, or as is.

Nutrition per serving (4 servings per recipe): Calories 252.9; Fat 14.0g; Saturated Fat 3.2g; Cholesterol 7.6mg; Sugars 13.9 g; Sodium 1230.6mg; Total Carbohydrate 27.5g; Dietary Fiber 10.2g; Sugars 13.9 g; Protein 8.4g

Sh*t Vegans Say

Happy New Year! I saw this clip this morning and couldn't stop laughing! This is for everyone who's done a cleanse, and everyone who's gone full-tilt vegan or veg afterward! I know you'll get a kick outta this! Sh*t Vegans Say

Check out a new movie called Farmageddon - The Unseen War on Family Farms "It tells the story of small, family farms that were providing safe, healthy foods to their communities but were forced to stop, sometimes through violent action, by agents of misguided government bureaucracies, and attempts to figure out why." The site has listings for screenings throughout the country.

This weekend there are two screenings in Minneapolis - one at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday at St. Anthony Main Theatre and another at 3:00 p.m. Sunday at Bryant Lake Bowl. You can buy tickets for either showing at BrownPaperTickets.com. Mark and I are headed to the Sunday showing - maybe we'll see you there!

Be sure to scroll down on this page for a great recipe for a kickass roasted tomatillo and garlic salsa!

Roasted Tomatillo and Garlic Salsa

Roasted Tomatillo & Garlic Salsa

I don’t know anything about cooking with tomatillos but when I found them at the farmers’ market I had to have them. Mark and I had been at a Mexican restaurant the weekend before and thoroughly enjoyed the chips and tomatillo salsa they served us while we waited for our entrees to be delivered – I figured that was a good place to start.

I found this recipe and Mark and I agree it’s really good. But as with any salsa, the recipe is just a starting place – you can add other ingredients to make it your own. Onions, cumin, avocado, peppers – play around with it until you come up with something that works for you. But this recipe will give you a salsa that packs some heat and tastes fresh, fresh, fresh!

 Roasted Tomatillo and Garlic Salsa

1 lb fresh tomatillos, husks removed
1 head garlic cloves, separated and peeled 3 fresh jalapeno peppers
1 bunch fresh cilantro
1/2 C water, or as needed
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven's broiler. Arrange the whole cloves of garlic, tomatillos, and jalapenos on a baking sheet. Place under the broiler, and cook for a few minutes. Remove garlic cloves first, as soon as they are toasted, to avoid developing a bitter flavor. Continue to roast jalapenos and tomatillos until evenly charred, turning occasionally. Set aside to cool. Don't remove the charred parts of the tomatillos or the peppers. They add a really nice flavor.

Place peppers and tomatillos in a food processor or blender with the garlic and cilantro. Add a little water to the mixture if necessary to facilitate blending. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate until serving.

From allrecipes.com