Cabbage is one of my quick go-to vegetables. It’s cheap and fast to cook. A few years ago I feel in love with Curry Cabbage. One of my many foodie friends introduced me to a small mom and pop Jamaican restaurant near downtown Tampa. The served everything from Curry Goat to Pigeon Peas and Rice. And the Rum cake…. let’s just say you could be pulled over for DUI after eating one bite! The restaurant has since closed and packed up all those yummy recipes, but of course you know I had to try and recreate the recipes. I think I came pretty darn close!
The key is having the right curry powder. I checked my local grocery store and the stuff they carry of the shelves is NOT the right curry powder for Jamaican or Indian dishes. If you are searching for those authentic flavors, well you are going to need to look past the “regular markets”.
I grabbed this curry powder at Tampa Grocery, it’s a small out of the way Indian grocery store that just so happens to carry Jamaican curry powder. They have all kinds of cultural food items and season blends in the store.
So with the cabbage, make sure you chop/slice the cabbage around the same size. This allows for a more even cooking time and the smaller the cut the fast the cabbage will cook.
I remember the first time I cooked cabbage! (what a disaster) I added way too much salt, pepper and water! I had a floating mess! Let’s just leave that alone! It wasn’t a pretty sight.
The bacon is cooked to a crisp and the fat from the bacon is used to saute the carrots and onions. It also give the cabbage a lot of flavor. I used a smoked bacon. Back in the day in my grandmother’s kitchen, she used to always save the bacon fat. Well to be honest there was a can of Fish grease, Chicken grease and then there was that priceless can of “fried meat grease”. If you touched or combined anything with it let’s just say~ your behind was in bigggggggg trouble. And Mrs. Cat(my grandmother) didn’t play.
Saute the carrots and onions in the fat and add in the curry powder here as well. Give the vegetables and nice toss before adding in the cabbage.
Make sure to season the cabbage well with salt and pepper.
Toss well to combine the carrots, onions, curry and cabbage. After a few minutes, add in the vegetable stock and let steam.
In the beginning your pot will look like its going to over flow with cabbage. But once the cabbage begins to cook it will wilt down to about 1/4 the size you started with. Add the crispy bacon back into the pot at the end. Your cabbage should be tender with a slight crunch. If you like your cabbage softer, just steam for an additional 5 minutes.
Curry Cabbage Recipe
4 slices bacon, chopped
1 cup carrots, sliced
1 cup onion, sliced
1 tablespoon Jamaican Curry powder
2 pounds cabbage, sliced thinly
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 cup vegetable stock or water
In a large pot over medium heat, cook the bacon until it is crisp. Remove the bacon for the pot, on to a paper towel and set aside. Add the onions and carrots to the pot with the bacon oil and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
Stir in the curry powder. Then add in the cabbage and stir well, tossing with the onions and carrots, about 5 minutes.
Season with salt and pepper.
Add in the vegetable stock and cover with a tight fitting lid. Reduce heat to low and let steam for 10 to 15 minutes. Cabbage should be tender. Add in the crispy bacon and serve.