Moongphali wali Patta Gobhi Sabzi – Stir Fried Cabbage with Peanuts

Cabbage. Beloved by some, actually many food cultures, and meh for a lot of people. What makes this vegetable, called Patta Gobhi in Hindi, literally leafy cabbage because of its multiple layers of leaves, versatile is its ease of use (cooks within minutes) and mild flavor that easily adopts whatever seasoning is added to it. I didn’t always have this perspective especially not if it was made in a typical sabzi with aloo and a wet tadka or masala. But when my mother made her patta gobhi ki sabzi with moongphali (peanuts), I was all for it! Twice the crunch from sautéed cabbage and fried peanuts, mildly spicy and earthy; this sabzi goes well as a side with any meal. I hope you try this recipe, one of many my mother used to make for us.

Stir fried cabbage with peanuts – a Punjabi cook’s slightly southern twist or maybe not!

So my family is from Punjab and as unusual as it might seem kari patta or curry leaves are found just as easily in Punjab as they are in southern states. My grandmother once mentioned that in her childhood, pre partition, Moringa trees (that provide the sambhar drumsticks), called Suhanjana in Punjabi, could be found across the Punjab countryside. So even as these two ingredients are more commonly used in southern food, south of central India that is, they have been a part of Punjab’s flora.

For my mom though the act of combining peanuts, curry leaves and cabbage was probably a matter of taste. She was a firm believer in cooking vegetables only for as long as needed and kept both types of gobhi – phool (cauliflower) and patta (cabbage) – as crisp or khili khili as she could. And, she LOVED fried and roasted peanuts! They were her end-of-day snack, really just any time snack. I am similar. Hand me a bowl of peanuts anytime!

Let’s make this gobhi

Prep: 10 minutes, Cooking: 10 minutes

You’ll need a kadhai/wok or a deep frying pan, a slotted spoon, paper towels

Ingredients for Moongphali wali Patta Gobhi

• Patta gobhi/Cabbage head, 1, small or half a head, chopped into 1 inch cubes
• Tel/Oil 2-3 tbsp, a high smoking point oil like canola
• Moongphali/Peanuts ~ 1/2 cup, more or less
• Rai/Mustard seeds ~ 1 tsp
• Sabut Laal Mirch/Whole Red Chillies ~ 5 or as many as you like!
• Kari Patta/Curry leaves ~ 8 to 10, fresh or dry
• Heeng/Asafetida ~ 1/2 tsp
• Namak/Salt to taste
• Kashmiri Laal Mirch ~ 1/2 tsp
• Black Pepper to taste
• Haldi/Turmeric ~ 1/2 tsp (optional)
• Juice of a lime – for serving (optional)

First, chop the cabbage

Wash and pat dry the cabbage head you plan to use. I used half a head. This was enough to serve 4 people for one meal. So make a decision based on what you have at hand or how much you will need at meal time. Cube the cabbage into 1 inch thick pieces. Pull them apart to separate the many layers.

Fry the moongpahli or peanuts

Next, in a kadhai/wok or frying pan heat oil. I used about 2 tablespoons of canola oil. Once hot, add peanuts and fry them to a deep brown. Be careful not to burn or blacken them. Remove from kadhai with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel until needed.

Make the tadka

In the oil leftover from frying peanuts add rai, curry leaves, whole chillies and heeng. If the oil is still hot cover the kadhai because the rai/mustard seeds will start popping right away and could land on your hand/arm. Reduce heat and let them finish spluttering while keeping the lid on the kadhai.

Season the tadka and sauté cabbage

Once the rai/mustard seeds stop spluttering, season the tadka. I used only salt and kashmiri laal mirch. You could also add haldi/turmeric. Mix well and allow the spices to bloom – about half a minute. Then add all the cubed cabbage. While adding cabbage to the kadhai/pan pull the pieces apart to separate the layers. Mix well and sauté uncovered until some of the cabbage starts wilting and the green outer leaves turn bright green. You’ll find a little browning on the bottom of the kadhai, this is from the sugars in the cabbage and is expected.

Mix moongphali with patta gobhi and serve!

As soon as patta gobhi is cooked i.e. slightly wilted but still firm, remove from heat and add the peanuts fried earlier. Toss well and season with black pepper. With each bite you’ll be able to savor the crunch of cabbage, its slight sweetness, the heat of chili and earthiness of peanuts. Add a squeeze of lime juice for added umami. This recipe’s USP is its simplicity and straightforward appreciation for texture and flavor. No gimmicks here!

Enjoy Moongphali wali Patta Gobhi with your meal!

I often pair this patta gobhi sabzi with rice and dal or with a paratha and dahi.

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