Bandhakopir Ghonto | Bengali Style Dry Cabbage-Peas Curry

Bandhakopir Ghonto | Bengali Style Dry Cabbage-Peas Curry

Author: Rumki Paul
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Bengali
Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 25 minutes
Total time: 35 minutes
Servings: 4 Persons

Bandhakopir Ghonto is one of the most popular Vegan recipes of India especially among Bengalis and in East India. It is the amalgamation of shredded cabbage with Potato chunks and peas in some spices. It is an absolute comfort food which goes outstanding with Khichdi, Pooris and Parathas. It can also be relished with Dal- Chawal and Rotis.

This Cabbage curry recipe is a super easy dish which hardly takes around half an hour to get cooked. This bengali cabbage stir fry is a very simple recipe which requires few handful ingredients to get prepared. The toughest part of the recipe is to shred the Cabbage. But now a day’s food processor makes our life much easier in kitchen.

Cabbage Curry Indian

Cabbage curry recipe plays a vital role in vegetarian recipes of India. There are hundreds of recipes prepared in Indian cuisine. From Kashmir to Kanyakumari every Cabbage curry tastes different from each other. Spicy Pattagobi ki sabzi, cabbage poriyal, cabbage thokku, Bandhakopir Ghonto are few popular names of Cabbage curry Indian.

Bengalis are very fond of cabbage especially the curry preparation like Bandhakopir Ghonto | Bandhakopir Tarkari. They prepare it both in veg and non-veg ways.

For nonveg cabbage curry, normally fish head or small fishes are added in Bandhakopir Ghonto | Bandhakopir Tarkari. You can check my non-veg version of cabbage curry – Ilish Macher Matha Diye Bandhakopi recipe too.

Bandhakopir Ghonto | Bandhakopir Tarkari is considered as an old traditional Bengali food. It is prepared at least twice a week in almost every Bengali house during winter. Normally, in our childhood, we used to get the fresh and soft Cabbages in winter. Now-a-days, it is available almost throughout the year.

I still remember my childhood days, how my mom used to mix the Bandhakopir Ghonto and hot steamed Rice with a spoon of Ghee (Clarified Butter) and feed me after coming back from school. I can never forget that taste and those memories. It is more than divine.

Bandhakopir Ghonto | Bandhakopir Tarkari is not only a comfort food, it’s even very popular in Puja Bhog Prasad. In my native place, Saraswathi puja is held in every educational organization like schools, colleges etc. During this occasion, Khichuri (Khichdi) and Bandhakopir Ghonto is compulsorily served as Prasad everywhere. I have many golden memories with this dish which can’t be expressed in words.

Bandhakopir Ghonto recipe with step by step photos and instructions have been provided in the ‘Instructions’ section of the recipe. But before directly jumping into the recipe, let me share few interesting facts about the recipe and cabbage.

Health benefits of Cabbage

How to make Bandhakopir Ghonto?

To prepare this Cabbage stir fry Indian, first I have shredded the cabbage and transferred them in a colander. After that, I have washed them in running water and kept aside.

Normally, in traditional Bandhakopir Ghonto or Niramish Badhakopi recipe, Matar (Peas) and Potatoes are added to enhance the taste and texture of the dish. Even I have added Potatoes and Peas to stick to the traditional recipe.

I have used frozen Peas for the Bandhakopir Ghonto or Niramish Badhakopi recipe. But you can also use fresh Peas for the recipe. The only difference between fresh and frozen Peas is that the frozen Peas get cooked quicker as compared to the fresh ones. So, I have added Peas once Cabbages are more than half cooked.

After tempering the whole spices, I have cooked the potato chunks for some time before adding the shredded cabbage. Then I have added the cabbage and cooked it with lid. I have not added any extra water to cook this dish. Only if your cabbage is too dry, you can add some extra water.

In this recipe, I have added Cumin seeds, Cinnamon stick, Bay leaf and Cloves for tempering. These whole spices give a nice aroma to the iconic dish. Other than these, I have used Cardamom powder instead of whole Cardamoms in this dish. I have also used Cumin powder, Coriander powder and Garam Masala powder for flavouring.

I always add Ghee (Clarified Butter) at the end of this Niramish Badhakopi recipe. It enhances both the taste and flavour of Cabbage. If you have never tried this then you must try it once to see the difference.

I have added Sugar in this Bengali Cabbage and Potato curry. It enhances the taste of the dish and give you the exact taste of Bandhakopir Ghonto that is served in Puja Pandal.

Ingredients:

• 1 Cabbage, shredded
• 1 large Potato, medium diced
• ¼ cup green Peas, fresh or frozen
• 2 green Chillies
• ½ teaspoon Cumin seeds
• 1 Bay leaf
• 3 Cloves
• 1 Cinnamon stick, broken
• ½ teaspoon Turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon Cumin powder (Jeera)
• ¾ teaspoon Coriander powder (Dhania)
• ½ teaspoon Garam Masala powder
• ½ teaspoon Cardamom powder (Elaichi)
• 1 teaspoon Sugar (Optional)
• Salt to taste
• 1 teaspoon Ghee (Clarified Butter)
• Oil for cooking

1. Wash the shredded Cabbage in a strainer and keep it aside to drain water.
2. Add Oil into the pan and wait until they are hot.
3. Add Cumin seeds (Jeera), Bay leaf, Cloves, Cinnamon stick into the pan and let them crackle.
   

4. Add Potatoes and cook it for 2 minutes in medium low flame.
   

5. Add half of the Cabbage and mix it well.
   

6. Then add the rest of the Cabbage and give a nice mix.

7. Cover the pan and cook them in low flame for 5 minutes.
8. Add Salt, Turmeric powder and mix them well.
   

   Tip: If you are using fresh Peas then add them after adding Salt and Turmeric powder because fresh Peas take a little longer to get cooked as compared to the frozen ones.

9. Cover the pan and cook them in low flame for 3-4 minutes.
10. Add green Chillies, frozen Peas and give a nice mix.
    
    

11. Cover the pan and cook them in low flame for another 4-5 minutes until the Cabbage gets soft.
12. Add Cumin powder, Coriander powder, Cardamom powder and mix them nicely.
    

13. Cook them for a minute in low flame.
14. Add Sugar and mix it with the Cabbage properly.
    

15. Cover the pan and cook it in low flame for couple of minutes.
16. Add Garam Masala powder, stir thoroughly and let it cook for 1 minute.
    

17. At the end, add Ghee (Clarified Butter) and mix it well.
    

18. Switch off the flame.