cabbage upkari | cabbage chana dal

By Dassana Amit
Last Updated: December 9, 2019

5 from 10 votes • 40 Comments

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Cabbage upkari recipe with step by step photos – cabbage steamed with coconut and chana dal (bengal gram or split chickpea). A vegan recipe.

Cabbage upkari is one recipe that was a staple at home. This recipe is made with cabbage, beans, cauliflower and even snake gourd, bottle gourd and pumpkin. The chana dal and the coconut were always there and this was my favorite combination with any veggie. This used to be my tiffin box lunch in school with chapatis.

Cabbage upkari Is one of my favorite ways to have cabbage besides the cabbage pakora and cabbage kofta.

I enjoyed making this one cabbage upkari recipe so much… Don’t know why…. Most of the time I like to cook. But this one was so good with all the cutting, chopping and clicking…

You can serve cabbage upkari hot with chapatis, dal and rice. Few more dry Cabbage recipes You can make are:

Some tips for making cabbage upkari

  • Usually we don’t add water as there is one steaming method which we follow in our house while cooking veggies. We cover the pan with a broad thali (plate) instead of a lid. And add some water on top of the thali. The water in the thali does not allow the veggies to get burnt or stick to the pan. This also accelerates the cooking process. When the water evaporates and dries whilst cooking, then add some more water on the thali.
  • But if you are not going to do this method, then add around ½ cup or ¾th cup of water to the cabbage. This is to ensure the cabbage does not get burnt. Keep on stirring the cabbage after intervals to avoid it from sticking to the pan. Keep on a low flame.
  • We add curry leaves to the upkari, but I did not have curry leaves on this day.
  • Also I decided to skip mustard seeds, but at home we usually add mustard seeds to the cabbage upkari.

How to make cabbage upkari

1. Firstly pick, rinse the chana dal. Then soak these in water for 1 hour.

soaked chana dal for cabbage upkari recipe

 2. Remove the first layer of the cabbage. Rinse the cabbage in water. slice the cabbage from the center.

cabbage for cabbage upkari recipe

3. Now if you don’t have a food processor, you have to use a knife to chop or slice the cabbage. Slice the two halves of the cabbage finely.

sliced cabbage for cabbage upkari recipe

4. Hmmmm… Finished slicing all the cabbage.

cabbage slices for cabbage upkari recipe

5. Now comes the cooking part. heat oil in a pan and fry the cumin seeds.

jeera for cabbage upkari recipe

6. After they sizzle, add the onions and saute the onions till they become transparent.

frying onions for cabbage upkari recipe

7. Then add the crushed garlic and saute it till the raw smell of garlic disappears.

frying garlic for cabbage upkari recipe

8. Now add the cabbage and chana dal.

adding cabbage chana dal

9. Add the green chilies also.

adding green chilies to cabbage upkari recipe

10. Mix the cabbage with the chana dal. And then add the salt and spice powders.

adding spice powders to cabbage upkari recipe

11. Stir the cabbage with the spice powders.

mixing the spice powders for cabbage upkari recipe

12. Cover the pan and let the cabbage cook in its own juice. You could add 1/2 cup of water to the cabbage to avoid the cabbage from being burnt. See the Notes section below. Stir in between, by removing the lid of the pan. This is how the cabbage looks after 14 minutes.

cabbage upkari after 14 minutes

13. The cabbage will be half-cooked now and its time to add the grated coconut. Mix the whole veggie well with the coconut.

adding coconut to cabbage upkari recipe

14. This is how the cabbage appears after 3 minutes. Check to see if the chana dal is cooked.

cabbage upkari after 3 minutes

15. Cook for some more 10-15 minutes or till the chana dal is cooked. Garnish with coriander leaves. Serve cabbage upkari Hot with chapatis or phulkas.

cabbage chana dal recipe, cabbage upkari recipe

Few more veggie recipes for you!

  1. Kathal ki sabji
  2. Mooli sabji
  3. Bhindi masala
  4. Bharwa baingan

If you made this recipe, please be sure to rate it in the recipe card below. If you'd like more delicious Indian vegetarian recipes delivered straight to your inbox, Sign Up for my email newsletter. You can also follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Youtube, Pinterest or Twitter for more vegetarian inspiration.

cabbage upkari

cabbage upkari

5 from 10 votes

By Dassana Amit

Cabbage steamed with coconut and chana dal
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Prep Time 1 hr 20 mins
Cook Time 30 mins
Total Time 1 hr 50 mins
Cuisine Indian, Konkani & Malvani
Course: Side Dish
Servings 5 to 6
Units

Ingredients

  • 2 small cabbage or 1 large cabbage (patta gobi)
  • ½ cup split and skinned bengal gram (chana dal)
  • ½ cup fresh grated coconut or desiccated coconut
  • 1 medium size onion, chopped
  • 5 to 6 garlic , crushed or chopped
  • 1 to 2 sprig curry leaves
  • 1 green chili, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
  • ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
  • ½ teaspoon red chili powder - optional
  • 3 tablespoon oil
  • a pinch of asafoetida (hing) - optional
  • ¼ cup chopped coriander leaves or cilantro leaves for garnish
  • salt to taste

Instructions

  • Soak the chana dal in water for 1 hour.
  • Heat oil in a pan and splutter the mustard seeds and fry the cumin seeds.
  • Add the onions and saute them till they become transparent.
  • Now add the garlic and curry leaves and fry for a minute or two.
  • Add the cabbage, chana dal, green chilies.
  • Add the spice powders and salt.
  • Mix everything and cover and cook the cabbage.
  • After 10-15 minutes, when the cabbage is half cooked, add the grated coconut.
  • Cover and cook for some more 15-20 minutes till the chana dal is cooked.
  • Garnish with coriander leaves and serve cabbage upkari hot with chapatis, dal and rice.

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Dassana Amit

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Welcome to Dassana's Veg Recipes. I share vegetarian recipes from India & around the World. Having been cooking for decades and with a professional background in cooking & baking, I help you to make your cooking journey easier with my tried and tested recipes showcased with step by step photos & plenty of tips & suggestions.

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40 Comments

  1. Looks delicious. I just have one questions: how to make sure the chana dal is cooked enough and the cabbage not overcooked?

    1. You can add the chana dal first. Add some water. Cover and cook till the lentils are half-done. Then add the cabbage. Cover and continue to cook.

  2. Just yummy..,thanks for the recipe..my family just loved it n asking to make again infact twice or thrice a week would go they said????????5 stars

    1. that is nice to know pallavi. thanks for sharing. thanks for the review and rating too. happy cooking.

  4. HI
    AWESOME! MY HUBBY WHO USE TO NEVER LIKE CABBAGE IS ACTUALLY LIKING THIS NOW. HE SAYS “WOH DAL WAALI HI BANANA”. A MILLION THANKS TO YOU 🙂 GOD BLESS YOU.

    1. thats nice to hear pooja. thanks for sharing ???? wish you also all the best in your life.

  5. Hi,
    Honestly, just reading your recipes & seeing those photos itself makes me feel sooo good that i feel that i should right away come to your place & have them 🙂 I tried this upkari..Awesome! my hubby use to hate cabbage, he actually has started liking cabbage. He says “Pooja woh us din jaise banayi thi waise hi banana” A million thanks to you ..God bless you

  7. Oh my gosh this is so good.

    All your recipes have been great. I’ve made several.5 stars

  8. Hi Dassana,

    Tried your cabbage vegetable yesterday. Was superb. My kids loved it. Thanks a ton. May God Bless You. Keep Up the good work

    1. thanks louiza 🙂 for positive feedback. glad your kids liked the cabbage upkari.

  9. So glad I came across this as have been trying various indian dishes since a halal grocery opened nearby.
    Kids eating it up too.

    Thanks for sharing5 stars

  14. Thank you for this recipe. I do not know the recipe with cabbage, except with bacon and not healthy. Yours is perfect and delicious. I cook 1-2 times a week Indian dishes with your recipes and I am never disappointed, thank you again5 stars

    1. richa, coconut is always added in the cabbage upkari. but if you don’t have it then skip adding coconut.

  16. i could not believe this recipe. I hate cabbage and i made only a little bit to see how it turns out. Of course! i loved it and my husband was disappointed that i only made a little bit as he wanted more…HaHa.
    thanks for posting

  18. Hi Dassana,
    Thanks for sharing this recipe, I really like your blog and pictures you post 🙂

  19. There has always been to cabbage than meets the eye and you just proved it, looks so delicious I could eat it straight out of my screen 🙂
    Feel free to stop by my site am giving away a free cupcake maker 🙂

  20. Nice I also loved this vegetable while in school… however I avoid eating cabbage for health reasons now… but your pics are good.