Cabbage Rice

February 21, 2023Niketa
Cabbage Rice

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 20 minutes

Serves: 4 people

Cabbage Rice is a healthy, comforting and mildly spiced one pot rice dish. This fragrant fluffy rice recipe is easy to make, gluten free and absolutely delicious.

I always wondered how to finish a big head of cabbage. Thanks to my mom for introducing me to this Cabbage Pulav or Kobi Bhaat. What makes this recipe stand out is addition of my mom’s homemade All Purpose Masala, alternatively you can add goda masala or garam masala. But, I highly recommend making her all purpose masala.

This recipe comes together in 35 minutes and makes a great weeknight meal or office lunch box recipe.

Cabbage Rice
Cabbage Rice

Ingredients

Rice: I use long grain basmati rice for making pulao or biryani. Basmati rice has a distinct smell and flavor that works perfect for this recipe. But, you can use rice of your choice. Make sure you use the right ratio of water to rice if not using basmati rice.

Cabbage & Tomato: I have used plenty of shredded green cabbage as the star ingredient in this recipe along with diced tomatoes. If you like, you can also add potatoes or peas.

Whole Spices: Bay leaves, black, pepper, cardamom pods, cumin seeds, mustard seeds. All these spices add a wonderful aroma to this recipe.

Other Ingredients: What makes this recipe special is the addition of my mom’s homemade all purpose masala. Alternatively, you can use garam masala or Maharashtrian goda masala. Besides these ingredients this recipe calls for basic Indian pantry staples – ginger garlic paste, ghee or oil, salt, sugar, water, turmeric powder, asafotedia.

How to make Cabbage Rice:

Sauté the spices– Start by sauteing the whole spices so the aroma is well infused in ghee.

Add Veggies– Add ginger garlic paste, shredded cabbage and diced tomatoes. You can add peas, potatoes or carrots if you like.

Add soaked rice– Sauté it for a few minutes so its coated with fats. This step only takes 2 minutes but it makes the rice fluffy.

Add the water, cover and cook until the water is absorbed. Make sure you are adding right ratio of water and rice. The amount of water you add will vary based on the quality and variety you use.

Cover with lid and cook until the water is absorbed and rice is well cooked

How to serve this Cabbge Pulav

This recipe tastes great on its own without any sides. However, I love to drizzle some ghee as it brings out delicious flavor.

If you like, you can serve this cabbage rice with plain yogurt, vegetable raita, boondi raita, pickle and papad.

Here is recipe to my mom’s All purpose masala. If you like this recipe, then certainly check my Masale Bhaat recipe too.

Print Recipe

Cabbage Rice

  • Prep time: 15 minutes
  • Cook time: 20 minutes
  • Total time: 35 minutes
  • Serves: 4 people

Cabbage Rice is a healthy, comforting and mildly spiced one pot rice dish. This fragrant fluffy rice recipe is easy to make, gluten free and absolutely delicious.

Ingredients

Ingredients

  • 2 tsp Ghee
  • 2 tbsp Oil
  • 1 tsp Mustard Seeds
  • 1.5 tsp Cumin Seeds
  • 1/2 tsp Asafotedia
  • 1 1/4 tsp Turmeric Powder
  • 1 tbsp Ginger Garlic Paste
  • 2 Bay Leaves
  • 3 Black Pepper
  • 3 Cardamom Pods
  • 10-12 Curry Leaves
  • 2 cups Cabbage, Shredded
  • 1/2 cup Tomato
  • 1 cup Basmati Rice
  • 2.5 cups Water
  • 2.5 tsp All purpose spice mix, Recipe linked above or use 2.5 tsp goda masala
  • 1 tsp Chili Powder, Optional
  • 2 tsp Salt
  • 1 tsp Sugar

Method

  • 1)

    Wash the rice thoroughly 3-4 times with cold water, until the water runs clear and excess starch washes off. Soak the rice in enough water for 15-20 minutes or until you prepare the rest of the ingredients.

  • 2)

    While the rice is soaking, prepare the rest of the ingredients. Shred the cabbage and dice tomatoes.

  • 3)

    Melt ghee in a large non-stick pan that has a tight fitting lid. Once ghee is melted, pour oil, add cumin seeds, mustard seeds, bay leaf, black pepper, cardamom pods & asafotedia. Sauté over a medium low heat for 2 minutes to infuse the flavor of spices  in  ghee.

  • 4)

    Then add ginger garlic paste, curry leaves and cook until the raw smell of the paste goes away.

  • 5)

    Now add shredded cabbage, diced tomatoes, turmeric powder and sauté for 1 to 2 minutes on a medium low heat.

  • 6)

    Drain the water from the rice and add it to the veggies along with all purpose masala, chili powder. Sauté gently for 1to 2 minutes so that the rice gets well coated with the oil & ghee.

  • 7)

    Add 2.5 cups of water, salt and sugar, give everything a good mix. Close the lid and cook on a low flame till water is absorbed. Check in between if more water is required. Once done, switch off the flame and let it sit covered for 5 minutes. Fluff the rice with fork.

  • 8)

    Serve cabbage rice hot, drizzled with ghee.

Notes

Rinse the basmati rice thoroughly under cold water until excess starch from the rice is washed off.  Rinsing the starch from rice prevents if from turning mushy, rather makes it fluffier  OR

Simply soak the rice for 15-20 minutes while you prep the other ingredients. Soaking the rice softens the grain and also cooks more quickly.

Rice to water ratio and the cooking time depends on the variety & quality of rice you use.

I have used my mom’s homemade All Purpose Masala to spice this rice, alternatively you can use goda masala or garam masala.

Make sure to allow the rice rest for a 5-6 minutes before fluffing it with a spoon or a fork.

I have skipped adding chili powder to this recipe to make it toddler friendly. But, you can add some as per your taste.

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