AI-generated image
Bandhakopir torkari
Cabbage with peas and potato
বাঁধাকপির তরকারি: shredded cabbage with peas, potato and ginger, a no-onion side for the puja bhog
In Bengali homes and pandal kitchens during Durga Puja, the bhog plate needs a dry vegetable beside the khichuri, and bandhakopir torkari is one of the favourites. Cabbage is shredded fine and cooked slowly with potato, peas, ginger and whole cumin, with no onion or garlic because it is offered to the goddess before it is eaten. A pinch of sugar and a final dusting of garam masala make it gently sweet and fragrant. Serve it with khichuri, luchi or plain rice and dal. Common mistake: covering the pan for the whole time, which steams the cabbage grey and watery; cook it mostly uncovered so the liquid evaporates and the edges just start to brown. Chef's tip: salt the shredded cabbage for 10 minutes and squeeze it lightly before cooking; it cooks faster and soaks up the spices better.
- Total time
- 35 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 1 ⅓ lb white cabbagefinely shredded
- 2 potatoespeeled, cut into small cubes
- 4 oz green peasfresh or frozen
- 1 tomatochopped
- 3 tbsp mustard oil
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tbsp fresh gingergrated
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
- 2 green chilliesslit
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp sugar
- ½ tsp Bengali garam masala
Shop this recipe on Amazon
Spices & pantry
Fresh ingredients (6)
Links open Amazon in a new tab. As an Amazon Associate, WhatToEat.Today earns from qualifying purchases.
Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Toss 1 ⅓ lb white cabbage with half the ½ tsp salt and leave for 10 minutes, then squeeze out the water lightly with your hands.
10 minStep 2: Heat 3 tbsp mustard oil in a wide kadhai over a medium-high heat until it just smokes, then lower the heat. Fry 2 potatoes for 5 minutes until golden at the edges; lift out.
5 minStep 3: Add 2 bay leaves, 1 tsp cumin seeds and 1 dried red chilli to the oil and fry for 30 seconds until the cumin crackles.
1 minStep 4: Add 1 tbsp fresh ginger, ½ tsp ground turmeric, 1 tsp ground cumin and 1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder with 2 tbsp water and stir for 1 minute until the masala smells cooked.
1 minStep 5: Add the cabbage, the fried potato, 1 tomato and 2 green chillies with the rest of the ½ tsp salt. Toss well, cover for 5 minutes only, then uncover.
5 minStep 6: Cook uncovered over a medium heat, stirring every minute or two, for 10–12 minutes until the potato is soft, the liquid has gone and the cabbage edges are just turning golden.
12 minStep 7: Stir in 4 oz green peas and 1 tsp sugar and cook for 3 minutes. Sprinkle over ½ tsp Bengali garam masala, toss and serve hot.
3 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 190 kcal
- Protein
- 5 g
- Carbs
- 22 g
- Fat
- 10 g
- Fibre
- 7 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does bandhakopir torkari take?
- About 35 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 25 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of white cabbage?
- Savoy or spring greens, same weight.
- What can I use instead of potatoes?
- Sweet potato, same weight (sweeter, cooks a little faster).
Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to cook it.
Rate this recipe
Sign in to rate and review this recipe.
You might also like
Black bean tacos with lime slaw
Proof that a meat-free taco night can be the best one. The beans are mashed with chipotle and cumin so they hold together in the tortilla, and a quick lime slaw adds crunch.
Mexican
SakarpadaSweet fried dough diamonds
Sakarpada (shakarpara) are little sweet diamonds of a rich dough made with ghee, milk and sugar, fried until golden and crunchy. They are a Diwali favourite with tea, and the cubes go into bhusu too. They keep for weeks in an air-tight tin.
Caramelised clay-pot tofu and mushroomsBraised tofu and mushrooms
Kho is the slow braise of the Mekong Delta: food simmered in a little clay pot (nồi đất) with dark caramel and seasoning until the sauce is sticky and the flavours go deep. This vegetarian cousin of cá kho tộ (braised fish) uses golden tofu and meaty mushrooms in place of fish, cooked in coconut water, as cooks do in the south, and finished with plenty of black pepper. Serve it bubbling in its pot with steamed rice and a sour soup or plain boiled vegetables. Chef's tip: take the caramel (nước màu) to a deep mahogany, darker than you think, just before it smokes; pale caramel only tastes sweet, while dark caramel gives the bittersweet, smoky flavour of a real kho.
Vietnamese