Red Cabbage Stir-fry

Red cabbage is more nutritious than the regular green cabbage (says the internet and I believe this).

Purple cabbage / Red cabbage is a nice alternative to the usual green cabbage we see everyday. I think I am lucky to get this in USA (as I love new veggies very much). 

Also there is a reason why I look for unique and tasty vegetables that grow locally. I cook Indian foods often (say 90%). So I have to shop at an Indian grocery store every week just like anyone. But we need some specific foods like 'fat-free milk', bread, egg, chicken etc. And the desi stores I visit don't have them. So I have to go to 2 stores every week ie., an Indian store for vegetables and one American store for milk, egg, bread, meat etc. But I found that going to 2 stores would make me buy more stuffs (if I like or not, I feel the urge to buy). So to reduce that habit and to save some money, I decided to go to one store per week. (Trust me, this is a very good way to save money and time). When I go to American store I would stock up for next week too and vice versa. I am practicing this as much as possible.

Long story short, this habit has made me explore new vegetables and I got creative to include all the local  vegetables in my Indian style food.

This is not the only story behind this red cabbage. I love this pink color so much that , I love to eat these fancy colored veggies. Ha ha ! So here goes an yummy Indianised stir-fry using this cute red cabbage.

Besides this simple stir fry , I click to see my salad and Sauerkraut using this red cabbage.

Taiwan cabbage and Red cabbage, Green cabbage in Asian grocery store - Piscataway

Ingredients

Purple cabbage Stir-fry

Our Lunch: Red cabbage stir fry with paruppu kulambu rice, pickle

Ingredients:

Red Cabbage - 200 gms

Green peas - 1 cup

Red Onion - 1 
Ginger - 1 inch
Dry Red Chili - 2 
curry leaf - 1 sprig
Shredded coconut - 2 tbsp

cumin - 1 tsp
Coconut oil - 1 tbsp
Mustard seed - 1 tsp
Salt - 1 tsp

Method:
Finely chop the cabbage and keep aside.

Chop the red onion, ginger finely. Cut the dry red chili into small pieces.

Heat oil in a wok.
Add mustard seeds and let them pop.
Immediately add chopped onion, curry leaf, dry red chili , ginger and stir well til the onion gets semi cooked.

Then add the green peas (I used frozen green peas. I defrost them by rinsing the peas in water).

Stir fry the peas (2 mins).

Now add the chopped cabbage.

Stir for few seconds.

Add salt to taste (1 tsp)

Add 1/4 cup water and cook it tightly covered (5 mins).

Open the lid and let the water evaporate.

Once the water is evaporated add the cumin and shredded coconut and stir well.
Switch off.

Red Cabbage stir-fry is ready!

Serving suggestions:
The above said quantity can be served for 4 people.
Serve as side dish with sambar rice, rasam or any spicy puli kulambu.

Red cabbage Sauerkraut

Sauerkraut (shredded raw cabbage fermented under specific conditions) is an Eastern or Central European dish. It is a simple probiotic rich pickle like salad. 

In olden days it started as a way to preserve cabbages that grow abundantly and stock them up for freezing weather conditions.
In USA, we use this in salads, sandwiches and soups. Sometimes it is served as a side dish in Thanksgiving dinners.

Variations:
It should traditionally contain only few ingredients like cabbage and salt.
I have added little vinegar (it slows down fermentation and it is not necessary).
I added vinegar to keep it long and safe. You can feel free to omit vinegar and just use salt to preserve the cabbage (that's the best way to create a probiotic rich sauerkraut).
I have used red cabbage, as I am fascinated by this purple color and by the health benefits. Still feel free to use any cabbage you can get.
I find any kind of pickling as a 'feel good' phase for me and so I do this often :).

Where did I buy these ?

I bought the red cabbage from the nearby Asian grocery store, 'Organic Apple cider vinegar with mother' from Aldi, Sea salt (Chettinad brand) from Indian grocery stores,  32 oz glass Ball jar from Walmart.

Tools I used:
Cuisinart 13 cup food processor - adjustable slicing blade. (Believe me, a food processor makes everything easy 😃)
Or we can use a cutting board and a knife.
A mortar and pestle as weights.
A mixing bowl and a clean glass jar with lid.

Ingredients : Red cabbage , Apple cider vinegar with the 'mother culture', A clean glass jar, sea salt

My hubby presented me in 2017 for Christmas  💕

use the slicing attachment in food processor.

Add salt and mix well.

Or keep it like this.

Transfer everything to a clean dry jar and close well.

Save in fridge or at room temperature. 

A simple salad with onion, purple sauerkraut,  chickpeas , arugula, lettuce and beets pickle.

Ingredients:
Red cabbage - 1 (2 .5 lb)
Sea salt - 1 tbsp
apple cider vinegar - 2tbsp

Method:
Using a cutting board or a food processor (slicing blade) , shred the cabbage into thin slices.
Transfer it to a mixing bowl. Add salt and mix well. Place a weight above the cabbage , so that it releases lot of water and stays inside the water it releases. This is the important phase in preserving the cabbage. Cover it with a thin cloth and let it remain in room temperature for 2 days.
By this time we will notice that the cabbage has shrunk in volume and the amount of juice it is giving out.
Now our Sauerkraut is ready to serve !
At this stage (after 2 days), I have added 2 tbsp 'vinegar with mother' to make sure that it stays safer and I keep it inside fridge for further use. You can feel free to keep it in room temperature too, as that's how everyone is doing globally.

Serving suggestion:

Serve as salad ingredient or sandwich filling or simple side dish or as an ingredient in soups.

This is good for digestive health.