BANDHAKOPIR GHONTO / CABBAGE STIR FRY

There are several types of 'Ghonto' in Bengali cuisine. Actually Ghonto means dry fry vegetables. This is a semi-dry dish, no water used here. My 'Ma' used to prepare it as a 'niramish' (veg) dish. She never added onions and garlic in it. Even though, it was exceptionally tasty. Adding a little lemon juice to the end, enhances flavour of this dish. Cabbage is an excellent source of vitamin B2 and vitamin C, after all it is a low calorie food.

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 Cabbage (finely chopped in very thin slices)
2 Medium Potatoes (peeled and cubed)
1 Medium Tomato (Chopped)
A Handful of Green Peas (frozen)
1 tsp Panch Phoron (a combination of five seeds i.e. mustard, cumin, fennel, nigella and fenugreek)
1 Bay Leaf
1 1/2 tsp Grated Ginger
1-2 Green Chillies (cut in slits)
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
1/2 tsp Roasted Cumin powder
1 tsp Coriander powder
1/2 tsp Red Chilli powder
1/2 tsp Shahi Garam Masala
1 tbsp Lemon juice
3 tbsps Oil
1/2 tsp Clarified Butter (Ghee)
1/2 tsp Sugar (optional)
Salt to taste


METHOD:

Heat oil in a wok, fry the potatoes till golden. Remove from wok and keep aside.

Add panch phoron and bay leaf in oil. After few seconds add tomato, green chilli and grated ginger in it. Saute till tomatoes are nicely mashed up. Now add green peas, stir about a minute.

After that add turmeric powder,  coriander powder and red chilli powder. Stir till spices leave oil. Now add cabbage gradually and mix well with all spices. Add salt, mix again and cover with lid. Occasionally keep stirring for 3 minutes. (Do this process on medium heat)

Now add potatoes, again mix up well. Stirring and covering helps in cooking the cabbage faster. After 2 minutes, potatoes and cabbage get fully cooked. Add sugar, lemon juice, shahi garam masala, roasted cumin powder and clarified butter in it. Mix all well and remove from heat.

Now it is ready to serve with dal-rice or roti.

TIPS: Grated coconut also can be mixed, at the time of mixing dry spices.
             Adding little lemon juice, increase its flavour, though it is not the trend.
            Cabbage should not fry for a prolonged time, for best result cabbage should be
            sliced thinly and cooked for 4-5 minutes.