Bandhakopir Dalna(Bengali cabbage stir fry)

Cabbage is one of my absolute favorite vegetable and it is nutritious, too. Cabbage is an excellent source of Vitamin C, it also contains significant amounts of glutamine, an amino acid, which has anti-inflammatory properties. Some claim it is effective in relieving painfully engorged breasts in breastfeeding women.

There are many ways to making this dish in Bengali style. But I absolutely follow my mom's recipe. This is just a stir-fry recipe, absolutely waterless, as it says, if you add water to this vege, it loses its texture and taste. It's very easy-to-make and great side dish with rice or roti.

You Need:

White Cabbage head : 1, shredded

Potato : 1, medium, diced

Green peas : 1/2 cup(fresh or frozen)

Ginger paste : 2 Tblsp. (tablespoon)

Green chillies : 2, finely chopped

Tomato : 1, big, chopped

Bay Leaf :1

Cardamom : 2-3 pcs.

Cinnamon stick : 1 (1")

Cloves : 2-3 pcs.

Cumin Seeds : 1 tsp.(teaspoon)

Turmeric Powder : 2 tsp.

Cumin powder : 2 tsp.

Coriander powder : 2 tsp.

Salt to taste

Sugar : 2 tsp.

Oil : 2 tblsp.

Ghee : 1 tsp.

Garam Masala powder : 1 tsp.(grounded powder of cardamom, cinnamon &cloves)

Fresh coriander leaves for garnishing

How To :

• Wash potato and cabbage head. Cut cabbage head in very thin slices. I think, Cabbage tastes better if we cut in thin slices. Keep your knife touched with the cabbage and just move in up and down direction. Then it will cut in thin slices. Cut the potatoes in small cube like pieces.
• In a heavy bottomed pan, heat the oil. Fry the potatoes with pinch of salt and turmeric until light brown. Keep aside. 
• In the same oil, add bay leaf, cinnamon, cardamoms, cloves and cumin seeds. When all starts to splutter, add thinly sliced cabbage. Stir and you will see it is leaving some water. Stir fry until all the water evaporates. Then add little salt and ginger paste, sliced tomatoes, slitted green chillies. Mix everything finely until tomatoes get soft and raw smell of ginger goes away. Add fried potatoes.
• Then add all powdered spices and sugar and mix finely. Keep stirring and mix the spices evenly with the cabbage and potatoes. Season with salt. At this moment, you will see, cabbage are almost cooked.
  
• Add green peas and close the lid and let it cook in medium flame. Check the potatoes and cabbage. When vegetables are cooked, add ghee and garam masala powder and stir for 2-3 minutes and take it out of heat.
• Serve hot, garnishing with fresh coriander leaves. It goes well with any Indian bread or plain rice.