CELEBRITY MASTER CHEF DR KAVIRAJ KHIALANI
If there’s one vegetable that brings both drama and nutrition to your plate, it’s purple cabbage. Often called red cabbage, this cruciferous gem—closely related to cauliflower and kale—stands out for its deep purple-reddish hue and slightly peppery flavour.
But what truly makes it special goes far beyond its colour.
Purple cabbage is a powerhouse of antioxidants and beneficial plant compounds that help protect against cellular damage. It is rich in vitamin C, carotenoids, and flavonoid antioxidants such as anthocyanins and kaempferol—often in higher amounts than green cabbage.
- From antioxidant punch to bold flavour—meet the veggie that’s as stunning as it is smart
- Crunch it raw, sauté it right, or ferment it bold—purple cabbage does it all
- Packed with vitamins, pigments, and punchy taste, it outshines its green cousin
- A chef’s favourite for colour, crunch, and creativity across cuisines
Some people wonder what is so special about this cabbage? And the very prompt reply to that implies that it has an outstanding nutrient profile and is especially high in vitamins C and K. In addition, eating cabbage may even help lower the risk of certain diseases, improve digestion and combat inflammation. Plus, cabbage makes a tasty and inexpensive addition to a number of recipes.
The striking purple colour comes from anthocyanins—natural pigment molecules also found in flower petals, autumn leaves, and fruits like blueberries. These compounds are not just visually appealing but are known for their health-boosting properties.
In the kitchen, purple cabbage is as versatile as it is vibrant. It can be roasted or sautéed with meats or beans, shredded into salads, or used as a crunchy garnish for soups and warm dishes. It also serves as a colourful, antioxidant-rich alternative in coleslaw or sauerkraut, and can even be fermented into kimchi.
While it remains easy to adapt into our diets and cooking in a number of ways, red cabbage is easy to incorporate into your diet. This versatile vegetable can be added to soups, stews, salads, and coleslaw. It’s delicious raw, steamed, sautéed, and fermented. It retains the most nutrients when it’s eaten raw, but is still highly nutritious when cooked.
Here are a few health benefits of Purple Cabbage:
- Purple cabbage is regarded as good for our skin and it also protects us against radiation.
- Purple cabbage is also good for the brain health and also takes good care of our bone health and wellness, hence it should be consumed.
- Purple cabbage is helps in weight loss, in digestion as well. It is also considered beneficial since it regulates our blood pressure.
- Purple cabbage is also good for us since it has a good quantity of water present in it, besides it also prevents constipation and also prevents acne.
- Purple cabbage is also a good detoxifying ingredient in addition to that it is also good for eye health and vision.
Here are a few of my favorite ways with Purple Cabbage:
VEGGIE SPROUT CABBAGE ROLLS
Ingredients
Purple / red cabbage leaves- 150- 200 gms, cleaned.
For the stuffing
Oil-2 tsp
Butter-1 tsp
Garlic- 1 tsp chopped
Onion-1 small chopped
Beansprouts-1 cup, steamed
Mushrooms- 1 cup, sliced
Boiled and crushed sweet corn-1/4 cup
Salt and pepper to taste
Mixed herbs-1/4 tsp
Chili flakes-1/4 tsp
Tomato sauce- 2-3 tsp
Grated cheese- 2-3 tbsp.
Chopped parsley-2-3 tsp
Schezuan sauce- 2-3 tsp
Method
- Prepare all the ingredients for the cabbage rolls.
- Clean up the leaves, sort them out and wash them well, place them in a hot water steamer for 2-3 mins and remove, place them in chilled water, since we may need to trim the leaves a little before rolling.
- Once the ingredients for the stuffing are ready, heat oil and butter in a pan saute the garlic, onions for a few seconds, add in the mushrooms, corn, beansprouts, saute them add in salt, pepper, herbs, chili flakes, cook for 2 mins.
- Add in the tomato sauce, schezuan sauce, and cook the mixture for 2-3 mins, turn off add in the parsley, cheese and mix lightly. Place the stuffing in between the steamed cabbage rolls, secure them well and roll up, place them back into the steamer and steam them for 2-3 mins more.
- Serve the stuffed purple cabbage leaves with an assortment of dips, sauces, chutneys, spreads etc and enjoy it like a starter/ snack.
VITAMIN ENRICHED CABBAGE TOSSED SALAD
Ingredients
For the base of the salad
Iceberg lettuce/ Lollorosso lettuce/ cos lettuce- 2 cups
For the body of the dressing
Purple cabbage-1 cup shredded
Orange segments- ½ cup cleaned
Apple/ pears- ½ cup cubed
California grapes- ½ cup
Shallots- 4-5 no, sliced
Boiled sweet potato cubes- ½ cup
For the dressing of the salad
Olive oil- 2-3 tbsp.
Mustard paste-1 tsp
Honey-1 tsp
Chaat masala- ¼ tsp
Lime juice- 2 tbsp.
Fresh squeeze of orange-1/4 cup
Fresh parsley- 2 tsp chopped
Crushed black pepper-1/2 tsp
Flax seeds/ pumpkin seeds – 1 tsp
For the garnish of the salad
Almond flakes- 2-3 tsp
Cashews- 2-3 tsp
Fresh basil leaves- -5-6 no
Microgreens- ¼ cup
Cherry tomatoes-3-4 no cut 1 x 2
Pineapple cubes- ½ cup
Method
- Prepare all the four parts of the salad and keep them chilled.
- Arrange the bed of lettuce leaves of your choice on a serving plate/ platter and proceed with the next step.
- In a mixing jar combine together the ingredients for the dressing as listed and give it a nice shake and stir well.
- Just before serving toss the salad and dressing together and place it on the base of the lettuce leaves, decide the garnish and do so appropriately, at times we also use chopped dates, walnuts, pine nuts etc as well to garnish the salad, for non-veg we can also add shredded boiled chicken or chicken sausages etc.
BEAN AND CABBAGE TACO SHELLS
Ingredients
For the taco filling
Purple cabbage-150 gms, shredded
Bean sprouts-1/4 cup
Baked beans/ chickpeas/ black eyed beans/peas- 1 cup cooked
Salt and pepper to taste
For non-veg filling
Boiled shredded chicken/ roast chicken with makhani salsa etc
For veg filling options
Capsicum/ paneer tikka/ paneer bhurji/ mix veggies tossed in cheesy white sauce etc
For the sauces to go along in the tacos
Mexican peri chili salsa sauce/ pesto peri spice spread/ hung curd and re-fried bean hummus in the form of a spread.
For the toppings and garnishes
Grated cheese/ fresh herbs like parsley/thyme/ coriander etc
Jalapeno peppers/ olives – black /green etc can be added.
Method
- Prepare and assemble all the ingredients for the taco shells.
- This recipe works well If we do like a live counter or a live taco counter where the guests can choose between the assortment of fillings, spreads, sauce etc.
- Add in the purple cabbage shreds towards the end and place assortment of garnishes of your own choice and color.
QUINOA CABBAGE BOWL
Ingredients
Purple cabbage-150gms, cut into small dices / cubes
For cooking the cabbage bowl
Oil-2 tsp
Butter-2 tsp
Garlic- 1 tsp chopped
Ginger – 1 tsp chopped
Chilies- 2-3 tsp
Onion-1 small chopped
Quinoa- 1 cup cooked
Green peas-1/4 cup cooked
Cauliflower- 500 gms, cleaned, blanched
Purple cabbage-1 cup
Sweet corn-1/2 cup boiled
Salt and pepper to taste
Mixed herbs-1/4 tsp
Chili flakes-1 tsp chopped
Peanut butter-2 tsp
Soy sauce-2 tsp
Spring onion greens- 2-3 tbsp.
For the dressing
Olive oil-2 to tsp
White vinegar-2 tsp
Lime juice-2 tsp
Roasted crushed cumin seeds-1/2 tsp
Mint leaves- 10-12 no
Cheese- 2-3 tsp grated or use cream cheese
For non-veg: add chopped salami, bacon, chicken/ roast chicken pieces, chicken tikka etc.
For the garnishing
Assorted nuts/ assorted seeds/ micro- greens/ jalapeno/ olives use.
Method
- Prepare all the ingredients for the one meal dish.
- To cook up the cabbage bowl, heat oil and butter in a pan, lightly saute the ingredients one by one, can add in the green peas and cauliflower, followed by any other choice of ingredients as included in the recipe.
- Give it all a nice mix, add in the seasonings, herbs, chili as per taste and cook for 8-10 mins on a low flame, add a little stock or water and cook it all up well.
- Add in the cooked quinoa and cabbage pieces, peanut butter and soya sauce, chili sauce if desired and toss it all up well. Add in parsley/coriander leaves/mint leaves etc and add nuts/ seeds for garnish and serve warm, add a squeeze of fresh lime juice, add cherry tomatoes and relish this healthy bowl.
QUICK TOSSED CABBAGE AND APPLE
Ingredients
Purple cabbage-150 gms, shredded
Green apple/red apple- 1 -2 med sized, small dices
Salt and pepper to taste
Oil-2 tsp
Butter-1 tsp
Garlic-1 tsp chopped
Celery- 2-3 tbsp. chopped
Onion-1 small chopped
Parsley-2 tsp chopped
Sugar- 1 tsp
White wine-2 tsp
White vinegar-1 tsp
Raisins-2-3 tsp
Walnuts-2-3 tbsp. sliced
Additional ingredients for non-veg: use bacon, sausages, salami cubes etc in the same recipe as well for a varied flavor.
Method
- Assemble and prepare all the ingredients for the recipe.
- Heat oil and butter in a pan, quickly add in the garlic, onions, celery and cook for 1 min.
- Add in the apples and cabbage and cook in the mixture for 2-3 mins, add in the sugar, salt, pepper, white wine/ vinegar/
- Give it all a nice toss and check for a balanced taste and flavor in the brand.
- This tossed cabbage and apple recipe can be enjoyed as a relish/pickle format as well and can be enjoyed in a number of ways.
RIZO CHICKEN CABBAGE CUPS
Ingredients
Purple cabbage cups- 150-200 gms
For the stuffing:
Oil- 2 tsp
Butter-1 tsp
Garlic- 1 tsp chopped
Onion-1 small chopped
Boiled cooked white/brown rice-1 cup
Cooked/boiled chicken-1/2 cup diced
Mushrooms-1/2 cup sliced
Green peas-1/4 cup
Salt and pepper to taste
Mixed herbs-1/4 tsp
Chili flakes-1/4 tsp
Cheese-2-3 tbsp. grated
Mayonnaise sauce-1/2 cup
Tomato sauce-1/4 cup
Tabasco/ Capsico- 1 -2 tsp
Soya keema/ soya chunks- ½ cup
Paneer /tofu- ½ cup
Parsley/coriander/mint- ¼ cup
Lime juice—2-3 tbsp.
Assorted nuts- 2-3 tsp
Assorted seeds- 2-3 tsp
Method
- Assemble all the ingredients for the recipe as listed above.
- Prepare the cabbage leaves, place them in ice cold water to maintain their texture.
- To prepare the filling, heat oil and butter in a pan, saute the garlic, onions, add in the mushrooms, peas, chicken and rice and any other choice of ingredients as you feel like.
- Add in the seasonings, herbs, chili flakes, sauces to taste and give it a nice mix.
- Cook the mixture on a medium to low flame for 3-4 mins, turn off the flame and add in the grated cheese and mix.
- Just before serving, remove the cabbage leaves from the water, pat dry them one by one and spoon in the filling into the cups while still warm.
- Garnish the cabbage cups with assorted nuts/seeds/ greens and arrange them on a serving platter/plates.
Serve warm/chilled.
Celebrity Master Chef Dr Kaviraj Khialani is a Mumbai-based hotel-restaurant and food consultant. He is specialised in over 33 international cuisines and has quality experience with hotels and airlines as a part of his long journey of over two decades in his chosen field. Chef Kaviraj is a renowned author, academician, food designer, writer and has also been awarded several national awards and global recognitions for his talent & outstanding achievements. Besides having been featured on several food shows on ColorsTV and Star Plus he is a mentor, coach and guide to aspiring to be future chefs and hoteliers of tomorrow.
He can be contacted at twitter: @kaviraj_chef, Mobile: 91 9820939336. Mail: chefkaviraj249@gmail.com
