Ingredients
- Half a large white cabbage
- 2 tbsp dried chilli flakes
- 2 tbsp powdered Maldive fish flakes
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tsp pepper
Method
-
Step 1Shred the cabbage and grind the Maldive fish. Maldive fish usually comes in large chunks/flakes so you will need a way to break down the flakes into a rough powder. I use a spice/coffee grinder that does the job really well.
-
Step 2Add a generous amount of vegetable oil to coat the bottom of the frying pan over medium heat. Add the shredded cabbage and fry until it becomes opaque. Add the dried chilli flakes and continue frying. Frying the chilli flakes releases and intensifies its flavour. Once the cabbage begins to brown, spread the powdered/ground Maldive fish over the cabbage. Fry for another 5 minutes until the cabbage is coated and the Maldive fish powder has had a chance to mix through. You will immediately smell the difference.
-
Step 3Add salt and lots of pepper to taste. Serve with rice or on a wrap.
Recipe Notes
The cabbage will shrink in size up to a third, so allow for this by choosing enough cabbage. I usually pile up the frying pan and move it around slowly until it is withered down and becomes more manageable.
Once you make it the first time, you can alter the amount of cabbage, chilli flakes and Maldive fish to your taste. The Maldive fish can be an overload of umami at first but also addictive. It's probably best to start with a smaller amount and work your way up from there.\You can experiment with adding onions at the start as well as other spices but I tend to keep it simple like this because it’s usually accompanied other highly spiced dishes
Maldive fish can be bought from your local Indian or Sri Lankan spice shop and usually comes in an air tight packaging.
Recipe Reviews
JOIN THE CONVERSATION
Log in Register