Deeply Roasted Cabbage With Peanut Crunch

By Nisha Vora

Humble green cabbage wedges are roasted to charred perfection and made dinner party-worthy with a drizzle of tamarind and a crunchy, Indian-inspired peanut-sesame topping. Roasting cabbage at a relatively low temperature followed by a shorter burst of high heat allows even the toughest parts of the cabbage to turn melt-in-your-mouth tender while delivering deeply browned, crisp outer leaves and gloriously charred bits. Finishing with tamarind awakens the cabbage with a sweet-sour acidity, and the peanut crunch featuring sticky Medjool dates, mustard seeds and green chiles rounds out every bite with its blend of sweet, salty and spicy. (Watch Nisha make this recipe on YouTube.)

Ready In1 hr 35 min

INGREDIENTS

Yield:6 to 8 servings

FOR THE CABBAGE

• 1 medium green cabbage (2 to 2 ½ pounds, see Tip)
• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided   
• Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) and black pepper 

FOR THE PEANUT CRUNCH

• ½ cup roasted, salted peanuts (or cashews), finely chopped 
• 2 tablespoons white sesame seeds 
• 1 ½ tablespoons neutral-flavored oil of choice (such as avocado oil) 
• 2 teaspoons black (or brown) mustard seeds (see Tip) 
• 15 fresh curry leaves (optional, see Tip)
• 4 fat garlic cloves, finely chopped 
• ½ to 1 serrano chile (or 1 Thai chile), to taste, finely chopped 
• 4 large Medjool dates, pitted and finely chopped 
• 1 large lime, zested and juiced

FOR SERVING

• 1 tablespoon Indian tamarind paste or concentrate, or to taste (see Tip)

PREPARATION

1. FOR THE CABBAGE:
   1. Arrange a rack in the top third of the oven and another on the bottom third. Heat oven to 350 degrees. 
   2. Prep the cabbage: Remove any loose outer leaves, then cut the cabbage, leaving the core intact, into 8 equal wedges. 
   3. Drizzle 2 tablespoons of olive oil across the surface of a rimmed sheet pan, then sprinkle with ½ teaspoon kosher salt and a generous amount of pepper. Add the cabbage wedges and rub the bottom sides around in the oil to coat. Spread them out as much as possible with a cut-side facing down. Using a pastry brush (or your hands), rub the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil onto the tops and sides until well coated. Season with salt (about a heaping ½ teaspoon) and pepper to taste. 
   4. Roast on the lower oven rack for 50 to 55 minutes, until the bottoms are nicely browned and the tops are moderately browned. 
   5. Remove from the oven and increase the temperature to 425 degrees. Once at temperature, roast on the upper rack for 10 to 15 minutes, until deeply browned all over with some charring on the bottom. A paring knife inserted into the thickest part should yield minimal or no resistance. 
   6. WHILE THE CABBAGE ROASTS, MAKE THE PEANUT CRUNCH:
   7. Heat a medium frying pan over medium until hot, then add the peanuts and sesame seeds. Stir or shake the pan from time to time until the sesame seeds are golden brown and peanuts are a bit darker in color, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl. 
   8. Wipe out the frying pan and return to medium heat. Add the oil and once hot, add the mustard seeds and stir frequently. Once they just start to pop, add the curry leaves, if using, standing back as they may pop up vigorously. Stir for 15 seconds, then add the garlic and serrano chile and stir constantly for 1 minute, until the garlic just starts to turn color. Immediately pour into the bowl with the nuts and seeds.
   9. To the bowl, add the dates, lime zest, 1 tablespoon lime juice and a pinch of salt. Mix together, then taste, adding more lime juice or salt as desired. 
   10. ASSEMBLE:
   11. Cool the cabbage for a few minutes, then transfer to a serving platter. Drizzle with the tamarind and a bit more lime juice (it should taste tart and bright). Scatter the peanut crunch on top and serve. 

TIPS

• If your cabbage weighs less than 2 pounds, slice each half into 3 wedges and use slightly less oil. If larger than 2 ½ pounds, save the excess for another recipe to avoid overcrowding the pan.
• Black mustard seeds can be found at South Asian grocers or online. If they’re not available, try cumin seeds or roughly crushed coriander seeds for a different flavor (toast either until darker by a few shades).
• Fresh curry leaves can be found at South Asian grocers and add a unique pungent citrusy flavor, but this dish is plenty delicious without them.  
• Indian tamarind paste or concentrate can be found at South Asian grocers or online. Some versions are sweet-sour, others more sour. If yours is very sour, you can mix in a drizzle of agave nectar or maple syrup, or start with 1 teaspoon tamarind, then taste and adjust.