Cabbage Poriyal

Name: Cabbage Poriyal
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 3 cups cabbage, thinly shredded and roughly chopped; ¼ cup water (optional, only if needed while cooking); ½ cup frozen green peas; ¼ cup grated carrot; 1-2 tsp oil or ghee; ½ tsp mustard seeds; ½ tsp cumin seeds (jeera); 1-2 dried red chilies; 1 green chili, just slit; 6-8 curry leaves; a pinch hing (asafoetida); ¼ tsp turmeric powder; to taste Salt; 2-3 tbsp fresh grated coconut; 1-2 tbsp chopped cilantro

South Indian Thaali Items · Kura (Curry)

Complete the plate: Serve with rice
Serves: 2
Hands-on · total: 10 min · 20 min (est.)
Walk-away: No

From my
kitchen

Worth knowing

Cabbage poriyal is one of the easiest South Indian vegetable sides to make on a busy day. Unlike many vegetables that require longer cooking times, cabbage cooks quickly and tastes best when it retains a little texture.
This recipe is intentionally simple: shredded cabbage + tempering + quick sauté + fresh coconut finish.
Adding green peas is a great optional variation because it adds a little sweetness, color, and texture. Fresh coconut at the end balances the cabbage beautifully and gives the poriyal its traditional South Indian flavor.
For an even faster meal, prep shredded cabbage ahead of time and keep it refrigerated. The entire dish can come together in under 10 minutes.

Day 2 plan

Refrigerate leftovers promptly. Reheat gently; texture may soften slightly. Pair with freshly made rice, roti, dal, or yogurt on day two.

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Ingredients & method

Prep

10 mins

Cook

10 mins

Total

20 mins

Serves

scaled from 2 servings - quantities marked “to taste” or “as needed” aren’t adjusted

Ingredients

6 cupscabbage, thinly shredded and roughly chopped½ cupwater (optional, only if needed while cooking)1 cupfrozen green peas(optional)½ cupgrated carrot(optional)2-4 tspoil or ghee1 tspmustard seeds1 tspcumin seeds (jeera)2-4dried red chilies(optional)2green chili, just slit(optional)12-16curry leavesa pinchhing (asafoetida)½ tspturmeric powderto tasteSalt4-6 tbspfresh grated coconut(optional)2-4 tbspchopped cilantro(optional)

Instructions

01
Wash and thinly shred the cabbage. Roughly chop the shredded cabbage into smaller pieces so it is easier to eat and cooks evenly.
02
Heat oil or ghee in a pan. Add mustard seeds and allow them to splutter. Add cumin seeds, dried red chilies, green chili, curry leaves, hing, and turmeric powder.
03
Add the chopped cabbage and salt. Mix well with the tempering.
04
Cover the pan with a lid and cook for 4-5 minutes on medium heat until the cabbage softens slightly while still maintaining some crunch. Cabbage cooks very quickly, so avoid overcooking it.
05
Add frozen green peas if using and cook for another 2-3 minutes until they are warmed through.
06
Turn off the heat and mix in fresh grated coconut and cilantro.
07
Serve warm with rice, dal, sambar, rasam, or as a simple side dish for a quick weekday meal.

Worth knowing

Cabbage poriyal is one of the easiest South Indian vegetable sides to make on a busy day. Unlike many vegetables that require longer cooking times, cabbage cooks quickly and tastes best when it retains a little texture.
This recipe is intentionally simple: shredded cabbage + tempering + quick sauté + fresh coconut finish.
Adding green peas is a great optional variation because it adds a little sweetness, color, and texture. Fresh coconut at the end balances the cabbage beautifully and gives the poriyal its traditional South Indian flavor.
For an even faster meal, prep shredded cabbage ahead of time and keep it refrigerated. The entire dish can come together in under 10 minutes.

Day 2 plan

Refrigerate leftovers promptly. Reheat gently; texture may soften slightly. Pair with freshly made rice, roti, dal, or yogurt on day two.

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