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The Joy of an Empty Pot

Everyday vegetarian recipes from a Zen Buddhist monastery.

August 26, 2018

Curry Cabbage and Rice from India

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​Makes 8 cups or 6 large servings
India curry cabbage and rice with saffron turmeric

Curry Cabbage being served.

This spicy curry cabbage and rice from India will brighten up your day. It is highly versatile as a main dish, side dish, or potluck favorite.

     Curry Cabbage and Rice from India is one of the very first meals that we prepared in our Long Beach dining room when it first opened in about 1970. At the time we just called it Curried Cabbage. It was immensely popular then and still is. Consequently, there have been very few changes made to the original recipe.
​
So you begin this dish by making saffron rice. Prepare the vegetables while the rice is cooking. The rice and vegetables should be ready at about the same time so that you can add the rice to the cabbage when the rice is done.​
If you enjoy this one-dish meal with saffron rice, you may also like Sweet and Sour Savory Eggplant on Rice.

​Saffron Rice

cabbage onion apple rice butter canned button mushrooms raisins celery saffron turmeric curry

Ingredients for saffron rice and curry cabbage.

​Ingredients:
2½ cups water
2 Tablespoons butter (regular or vegan)
1¼ teaspoons salt
¼ teaspoon saffron threads
1¼ cups long grain rice

I know. I know. Saffron threads are expensive. In spite of the cost, this is one extravagance that we are allowed to have when we prepare curry cabbage on rice from India. Since we don’t use it very often, it is not a budget buster. However, if you don’t have the saffron or would like to use a substitute, you can use ¼ teaspoon powdered turmeric in its place in your curry cabbage and rice.


Instructions:
1.  Combine 2½ cups water, 2 Tablespoons butter, 1¼ tsp. salt, and ¼ teaspoon saffron threads in a 2-quart saucepan.
2.  Cook over medium heat until butter is melted. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes so that the water has time to absorb some of the color and flavor of the saffron.
3.  Add the 1¼ cups long grain rice and gently stir into the saffron mixture.
4.  Place a lid on saucepan, reduce heat, and simmer for 25 minutes or until rice is done. Set aside until ready to add to the vegetables.

butter saffron water salt
butter saffron water salt
butter saffron water salt rice
butter saffron water salt rice

 

Preparing the Vegetables for the curry cabbage

Ingredients:
½ cup raisins
A large cabbage, at least 2 lb.
1 large apple, at least 8 ounces
1 (4 oz.) can whole button mushrooms, drained
¼ cup butter (½ stick) – regular or vegan
​1½ cups diced yellow onion
1 cup sliced celery (2 large stalks)
1½ teaspoons turmeric
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon curry powder
½ teaspoon allspice
pinch dried chili pepper
​¼​ cup water (optional)Firstly, be sure to remove any of the damaged outer leaves from the cabbage. Quarter from top to bottom and remove the core of the cabbage. Cut each quarter of cabbage lengthwise once and then cut across the quarters three or four times into large pieces. At this time you should have about 8 cups of chopped cabbage.
Meanwhile, quarter, peel, and core the apple. Slice each quarter crosswise into five or six pieces. Any mushrooms that are more than 1 inch in diameter should be cut in half from top to bottom.

Instructions:
1.  Plump the ½ cup raisins by soaking them in warm water for 5 minutes. Drain and set aside until ready to use.
2.  To begin cooking the curry cabbage, melt ¼ cup butter in an electric skillet or 4-quart pot.
3. Add the prepared cabbage, apple, button mushrooms, 1½ cups diced yellow onion, and 1 cup celery. Don’t panic. Yes, the pan will be very full, however the cabbage will cook down a lot, as you can see in the following pictures.
4.  Cook the curry cabbage at 275° (medium-low), while stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes.

plumped raiains
butter skillet
cabbage apple button mushrooms yellow onion celery
cabbage apple button mushrooms yellow onion celery

 

5.  Add the ½ cup plumped raisins, 1½ teaspoons turmeric, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon curry powder, ½ teaspoon allspice, and pinch dried chili pepper.
​6.  Cover the pan while cooking. Cook and stir for an additional 5 to 10 minutes or until cabbage is tender. You can also add an additional ¼ cup of water if the cabbage starts to stick to the pan.
7.  Lastly, add the saffron rice to the vegetables.
8.  Gently stir the curry cabbage and rice together and . . . .
cabbage apple button mushrooms yellow onion celery raisins turmeric allspice curry
cabbage apple button mushrooms yellow onion celery raisins turmeric allspice curry
cabbage apple button mushrooms yellow onion celery raisins turmeric allspice curry saffron rice
India curry cabbage rice saffron turmeric

 

​Serve . . . .
India curry cabbage rice saffron turmeric

Serving the curry cabbage.

Attention vegans:
You can turn this curry cabbage on rice from India into a vegan dish by replacing the regular dairy butter with a vegan butter substitute.

Full disclosure:

  • Although this dish has its roots in India, we usually serve it with soy sauce on the side and fresh flour tortillas.
  • I have also been known to serve Fried Egg Roll Chips with Sweet and Sour Sauce with this dish. I am always looking for and excuse to serve these chips.
Serving curry cabbage onto plate
5 from 1 vote
Print

Curry Cabbage and Rice from India

This spicy curry cabbage and rice from India will brighten up your day. It is highly versatile as a main dish, side dish, or potluck favorite.

Course Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine Indian
Keyword cabbage, curry, dinner, India, mushrooms, raisins, rice, saffron, turmeric
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings 6 people
Calories 362 kcal

Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 cups water
  • 2 Tbs. butter (regular or vegan)
  • 1 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 1/4 tsp. saffron threads
  • 1 1/4 cups long grain rice
  • 1/2 cup raisins
  • 2 lb. cabbage
  • 1 apple
  • 4 oz. can button mushrooms
  • 1/4 cup butter (regular or vegan)
  • 1 1/2 cup diced yellow onion
  • 1 cup sliced celery
  • 1 1/2 tsp. turmeric
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 tsp. curry powder
  • 1/2 tsp. allspice
  • pinch dried chili pepper
  • 1/4 cup water (optional)

Instructions

  1. Combine 2 1/2 cups water, 2 Tablespoons butter, 1 1/4 tsp. salt, and 1/4 teaspoon saffron threads in a 2-quart saucepan.

  2. Cook over medium heat until butter is melted. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes so that the water has time to absorb some of the color and flavor of the saffron.

  3. Add the 1 1/4 cups long grain rice and gently stir into the saffron mixture.

  4. Place a lid on saucepan, reduce heat, and simmer for 25 minutes or until rice is done. Set aside until ready to add to the vegetables.

  5. Plump the 1/2 cup raisins by soaking them in warm water for 5 minutes. Drain and set aside until ready to use.

  6. To begin cooking the curry cabbage, melt 1/4 cup butter in an electric skillet or 4-quart pot.

  7. Add the prepared cabbage, apple, button mushrooms, 1 1/2 cups diced yellow onion, and 1 cup celery. Don't panic. Yes, the pan will be very full, however the cabbage will cook down a lot, as you can see in the pictures.

  8.  Cook the curry cabbage at 275° (medium-low), while stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes.

  9. Add the ½ cup plumped raisins, 1 1/2 teaspoons turmeric, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon curry powder, 1/2 teaspoon allspice, and pinch dried chili pepper.

  10. Cover the pan while cooking. Cook and stir for an additional 5 to 10 minutes or until cabbage is tender. You can also add an additional 1/4 cup of water if the cabbage starts to stick to the pan.

  11. Add the saffron rice to the vegetables.

  12. Gently stir the curry cabbage and rice together and serve.

Filed Under: Main Dishes Tagged With: cabbage, curry, dinner, india, mushrooms, raisins, rice, saffron, turmeric

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Helen Engledow says

    September 6, 2018 at 7:16 pm

    What a different and delightful meal! A great collection of vegetables in a marvelous curry sauce with some zip, some sweetness, and a lot of satisfying flavors. You add the rice and have a super meal!

    Reply

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About the author

Hello,
My name is Rev. David McKinney. I have been the head cook at the Vichara Buddhist Monastery since 1972. Thank you for stopping by. This blog makes it possible for us to share our vegetarian recipes with the rest of the world.
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