Gujerati-Style Cabbage with Carrots (Sambhara)
Submitted by Jayme_Koch
Gujarati sambhara: shredded cabbage and grated carrots stir-fried with mustard seeds, asafetida, green chili, and fresh coriander. A quick Indian vegetable side that stays crisp and bright with a squeeze of lemon.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
30 minCOOK
10 minREADY
40 minSambhara is a Gujarati stir-fry that turns humble cabbage and carrots into something vibrant and aromatic in under 10 minutes of actual cooking. The vegetables stay crisp-tender, not wilted or soft, which is the whole point of this dish.
The flavor starts with the tadka (tempering): hot oil, a pinch of asafetida, and whole black mustard seeds that pop and crackle in the pan. A whole dried red chili goes in next, darkening in seconds and releasing smoky heat into the oil. All of that flavored oil coats the shredded cabbage and grated carrots as they hit the pan.
Fresh green chili strips add a sharper, more immediate heat, while fresh coriander (cilantro) and a squeeze of lemon juice at the end keep everything tasting clean and bright. A tiny pinch of sugar balances the acidity.
Chef Tips
- Shred the cabbage fine and grate the carrots coarsely. Different textures cook at different rates, and these cuts ensure both are done at the same time.
- Have everything prepped and ready before you start the tadka. Mustard seeds go from popping to burning in seconds.
- Cook for only 5 minutes after adding the vegetables. The goal is crisp, not soft.
- Remove the whole dried red chili before serving if your guests aren’t accustomed to Indian heat levels.
Variations
- Add shredded fresh coconut at the end for a South Indian twist.
- Toss in a handful of fresh or frozen peas for color and sweetness.
- Swap cabbage for shredded kohlrabi or daikon radish for a different crunch.
Ingredients
Directions
Core the cabbage and cut it into fine, long shreds. Peel the carrots and grate them coarsely. Cut the green chili into thin, long strips.
Heat the oil in a wide, casserole-type pot over a medium-high flame.
When hot, put in the asafetida. A second later, put in the mustard seeds. As soon as the mustard seeds begin to pop, put in the dried red chili.
Stir once. The chili should turn dark red in seconds.
Now put in the cabbage, carrots and green chili. Turn the heat down to medium and stir the vegetables around for half a minute.
Add the salt, sugar and green coriander.
Stir and cook for another 5 minutes or until the vegetables are just done and retain some of their crispness.
Add the lemon juice. Stir to mix. (Remove the whole red chili before serving to those unfamiliar with Indian foods).
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