Equipment
Ingredients
Aromatics & Spices
- 15 ml coconut oil
- 150 g yellow onion, diced
- 4 garlic, minced
- 15 g fresh ginger, minced
- 10 g curry powder
- 5 g ground coriander
- 5 g ground cumin
- 3 g ground turmeric
Curry Base
- 400 g raw beetroot, peeled and diced into 1.5cm cubes
- 400 ml coconut milk
- 250 ml vegetable broth
- 240 g canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 15 ml lime juice, freshly squeezed
- kosher salt
Charred Cabbage & Garnish
- 400 g green cabbage, cut into 4 thick wedges, core intact
- 15 ml olive oil
- kosher salt
- black pepper, freshly ground
- 10 g fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 462 kcal
- Protein
- 11 g
- Carbohydrates
- 41 g
- Fat
- 32 g
- Fiber
- 12 g
- Sugar
- 15 g
- Sodium
- 939 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 23 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 5 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Potassium
- 988 mg
- Calcium
- 156 mg
- Iron
- 7.4 mg
- Magnesium
- 121 mg
- Phosphorus
- 256 mg
- Zinc
- 1.9 mg
- Vitamin A
- 26 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 49 mg
- Vitamin E
- 1.7 mg
- Vitamin K
- 91 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.4 mg
- Thiamin
- 0.18 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.13 mg
- Niacin
- 1.7 mg
- Folate
- 206 mcg
- Water
- 398 g
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
Prepare all vegetables. Peel and dice the beetroot into uniform 1.5cm cubes. Dice the onion, mince the garlic and ginger, and cut the cabbage into thick wedges, ensuring the core remains intact so the leaves hold together.
Heat the coconut oil in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the diced onion and saute until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes.
Add the minced garlic, ginger, curry powder, ground coriander, cumin, and turmeric. Stir constantly to toast the spices until highly fragrant, taking care not to burn them.
Add the diced beetroot to the pot. Stir thoroughly to coat the pieces in the spice and onion mixture.
Pour in the full-fat coconut milk and vegetable broth. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil at 100°C (212°F), then immediately reduce the heat to maintain a steady simmer. Cook uncovered until the beetroot is tender.
Stir in the drained chickpeas. Continue to simmer to heat the chickpeas through and allow the flavors to meld together.
While the chickpeas simmer, preheat a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Lightly brush the cabbage wedges with olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper on all sides.
Place the cabbage wedges flat-side down in the hot skillet. Sear undisturbed until deeply browned and charred on the edges, then flip to sear the other flat side until the wedges are tender-crisp.
Remove the curry pot from the heat. Stir in the fresh lime juice, then taste the broth and adjust the seasoning with kosher salt as needed.
Ladle the hot beetroot and chickpea curry into shallow serving bowls. Nestle a warm wedge of charred cabbage beside the curry, and garnish with roughly chopped fresh cilantro.
Chef's Notes
- Blooming the dry spices in coconut oil before adding liquid is a crucial step; it releases fat-soluble flavor compounds and removes any dusty, raw taste from the spices.
- Leaving the core intact on the cabbage wedges is essential. Without the core holding the leaves together, the cabbage will fall apart into a messy stir-fry during the searing process.
- The acidity of the lime juice added at the very end balances the earthy sweetness of the beetroot and the richness of the coconut milk. Never boil citrus juice, as it can turn bitter.
- For an even richer flavor profile, you can roast the beetroot cubes in the oven at 200°C (400°F) before adding them to the curry, rather than simmering them from raw.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Curry flavors deepen over time. Cabbage will lose its crispness.
Freezer: 2 months — Freeze the curry base only. Charred cabbage does not freeze well.
Reheating: Warm gently on the stovetop over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until simmering.
Troubleshooting
Beetroot cubes remain hard or crunchy after simmering
Cause: The beetroot was cut into unevenly large pieces or not cooked long enough
Fix: Add a splash of water or extra broth and continue simmering until tender
Prevention: Ensure a uniform 1.5cm dice before cooking to promote even softening
Cabbage is burning on the outside but completely raw inside
Cause: The skillet temperature is too high
Fix: Lower the heat, add 15ml of water to the hot skillet, and cover immediately to steam the cabbage to finish
Prevention: Maintain medium-high heat rather than maximum heat to allow the center to warm through
Curry broth feels overly thin and watery
Cause: Using a light or low-fat coconut milk instead of full-fat
Fix: Simmer vigorously for an additional 5-10 minutes to reduce the liquid, or mash a small handful of the cooked chickpeas against the pot to thicken the broth naturally
Prevention: Always use premium full-fat canned coconut milk for rich curries
Cultural Context
Beetroot is a celebrated ingredient in Sri Lankan and South Indian cuisines, where its earthy sweetness is frequently paired with rich coconut milk and robust roasted curry powders. While often served as a dry side dish known as 'Bheeta', this recipe reimagines those traditional flavor pairings into a heartier, stew-like main course, accented by the smoky, modern addition of charred cabbage.
