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–+ servings
Braised cabbage with chickpeas and rice.

Coconut Braised Cabbage

5 from 1 review
This tender braised cabbage is slightly spicy, deeply rich, creamy, coconut-y and has a fall-apart texture that I can't get enough of. Plus, it is so simple to make. Pair it with some crispy chickpeas for an easy, protein-filled plant-based and vegetarian dinner.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings: 4 servings

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 1 (3 pound) cabbage, red, green or savoy, all are suitable
  • 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil , divided
  • 1/2 (8 ounces) large red onion
  • 1 Birdseye chili
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 2 teaspoons turmeric
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • Diamond Crystal kosher salt
  • Freshly cracked black pepper
  • 2 limes, for juicing and serving
  • 1 (13.5 oz) can unsweetened coconut milk
  • 1 cup white rice, for serving
  • 2 (15 oz) cans chickpeas, for serving, drained and rinsed
  • 1/2 cup torn tender herbs, for serving, such as mint, cilantro, scallions

Instructions 

  1. Equally stagger two racks in the oven and preheat it to 375°F.
  2. Set an oven-safe 12-inch pan over medium heat. Add 3 tablespoons of olive oil.
  3. Slice the cabbage into quarters, remove the core from each piece.
  4. Sear the cabbage quarters for 3-5 minutes on each side or until nicely charred. Season with salt and remove them from the pan.
  5. While the cabbage is searing, thinly slice 1/2 of a red onion, slice the Birdseye chili (remove the seeds if you do not like heat), and grate the 3 garlic cloves.
  6. Once the cabbage is out of the pan, add an additional 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the onion, 2 tablespoons of tomato paste, 2 teaspoons turmeric, 1 teaspoon cumin and 1 teaspoon coriander. Mix and season with salt and black pepper. Cook for 6-8 minutes, or until the onion is very softened.
  7. Add in the grated garlic cloves and Birdseye chili, cook for another 2-3 minutes or until the garlic is no longer raw.
  8. Pour in the coconut milk. Fill up the empty coconut milk can halfway with water and add that in as well. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed. Squeeze in the juice of one lime, taste and season again.
  9. Nestle the cabbage into the coconut broth. Put the whole pan on the bottom rack of the oven and braise it for 50-60 minutes, rotating the cabbage wedges every 15 minutes.
  10. While the cabbage is in the oven, rinse and cook the 1 cup of rice either in a rice cooker or in a saucepan, according to package instructions.
  11. Drain and rinse the two cans of chickpeas. Scatter them on a baking sheet and drizzle with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and mix. Put these on the top rack of the oven to roast for 25-30 minutes or until crisp.
  12. The cabbage is ready when you can pierce it with a paring knife and it easily goes through a wedge.
  13. When you are ready to serve, quarter the remaining lime into wedges for serving. Pile four bowls with the rice, 1/4 of the chickpeas, and one cabbage wedge. Pour over the braising liquid and scatter with tender herbs. Eat warm!