Kobi no Sambharo | Quick Cabbage Stir-Fry

A mix of cabbage, carrots and peppers; Kobi no Sambharo is a quick fix Gujarati recipe.

Minimally spiced stir-fry, this recipe comes together in under 10 minutes and is full of fibre!

Indian cuisine has a LOT of variety in terms of colors, textures and flavors. From the most complex curries like kofta curries and certain paneer based recipes to the most simplest stir-fry recipes.

Certain stir-fry top the list of easy recipes ad they come together in under 10 minutes.

These stir-fries along with chutneys, raitas, pickles and salads form a very important part of Indian cuisine. They make the mains shine and add a lot of texture and color to the platter.

What is Kobi no Sambharo

Kobi means cabbage in Gujarati and Sambharo refers to stir-fry. So essentially this recipe is stir fried cabbage with certain add-ins.

My memory of sambharo dates back to my childhood. As a large family with varied food choices there was always a LOT of food being made each meal.

When there was something the kids would not eat, this sambharo appeared. It takes only 10 minutes to make and is low on spices and chili. These two features make it apt for kids, and we loved it.

Plus, it is a great substitute for salads on cold days. It is warm, comforting and like a hug in a bowl.

I often use it to make kathi rolls. I ad some grilled paneer and this sambharo on a wrap and serve it with onions, chutney and sev.

Lastly, fafda is a popular Gujarati breakfast. We enjoy some raw papaya sambharo with it. This sambharo replaces it when papaya is not available.

This Cabbage Sambharo recipe

• is easy to make and takes only 10 minutes
• needs a handful of ingredients
• has only a couple of spices making it perfect as a comfort recipe
• can be enjoyed as a side or as a warm salad
• makes a great side for gathiya

This sambharo has been popular for years and we have had it throughout our childhood.

It was a quick fix if the vegetable for the day looked less to serve everyone or if there were sudden visitors. What was a side dish with roti back then has transitioned to a warm salad now.

It is a welcome change from the regular raw salads and a great addition to kathi rolls too.

This sambharo makes a great addition to a Gujarati thali too.

Video Recipe

Ingredients

Cabbage: Thick shredded cabbage works best for the recipe. We generally use green cabbage to make it. One can use red cabbage too.

However, the red cabbage will have to be cooked for a slightly longer time.

Use fresh cabbage as the older the cabbage gets, more soggy it becomes when cooked. We want the sambharo to be fresh and crunchy.

Carrots: I use julienned carrots in this recipe. They can be shredded too. Skip them if that is the preference but they go really well with the cabbage.

Peppers: Julienned green or mixed colored peppers are used here.

It is best to have all the vegetables cut to even size so they cook equally well.

Tempering ingredients: We temper the vegetable with oil. Any neutral oil works well for the recipe.

The spices used in tempering are mustard seeds, cumin seeds, green chili and curry leaves.

They add SO much flavor to the sambharo, that I would not skip even one of these in the recipe.

Spices: The only spice we use here is turmeric. Apart from that we add salt and some lemon juice but no other spices.

The stir fry is not heavy on spices making it a great light side or salad.

Step by Step Instructions to make this sambharo

1- Wash and chop all the vegetables and set aside.

2- Heat oil in a pan.

3- Add mustard and cumin seeds and let them pop.

4- Once the seeds pop, add curry leaves and green chili.

5- Sauté for a few seconds and then add peppers.

6- Add in carrots and sauté for a minute.

7- Add the cabbage and turmeric powder.

8- Sauté on medium-high heat for 4-5 minutes, making sure the cabbage is still crunchy.

9- Add salt and mix well.

10- Turn down the heat and add lemon juice and cilantro. Mix well.

11- Serve as a side for roti and rice or enjoy it as a salad.

Tips and Notes

• Use thick shredded cabbage as thinly shredded ones tend to turn into a mush
• The spices used here are minimal but adding some red chili powder or garam masala is an option
• Sambharo tastes best with the vegetables still crunchy. Do not let them cook through as it will yield a cooked sabji.