Sambharo (Indian Spiced Cabbage Salad)

This warm cabbage carrot beet salad, with a wildly flavorful golden garlic green chili oil, is full of flavor, fiber and texture! Inspired by Indian sambharo, it has shredded veggies, crispy, crunchy roasted lentils, lime and spices to make a super satisfying salad.

Cabbage is a nutrition powerhouse. It’s a source of vitamin K, C, manganese, iron, fiber, and more nutrients, vitamins and minerals. And it’s a great addition to your meals.

There are already so many options on the blog.  Indian food has plenty of cabbage usage in different formats, so we’re going to explore another flavor-packed way to use cabbage and celebrate this vegetable today!

I’m making a warm, spiced cabbage salad which is inspired from Indian sambharo. This is a Gujarati or Western Indian dish, which is kind of like a salad. We shred the veggies, then make a wildly flavorful spiced oil with mustard seeds, greens chiles, garlic and curry leaves. Then, we add the shredded veggies, toss them well, and then serve them with a squeeze of lime.

I’m leveling it up a bit by adding more veggies, some garlic, and some lime zest. I’m also topping it with some crispy lentils to add more protein and extra texture to the dish.

You can cook the cabbage a bit longer, so that it becomes a cooked cabbage side, which also will go really well with any of the curries and dals on the site. Or, you can cook it just enough to warm the cabbage a little bit but still crunchy, and it will work as a salad, whether you want to serve it cold, warm, or at room temperature. 

No matter which way you prepare it, sambharo is a side dish that works well with any meal that you want, whether it’s with an Indian entree or another cuisine. 

If you don’t like lentils, you can make crispy chickpeas or crispy tofu and add that to this, as well. It’s a great side to have in the fridge to serve anytime you like.

There are so many creative ways to serve sambharo. You can add it to tacos. You can add some juicy fruit, such as oranges, for some sweetness and juiciness. You can add unripe, raw mango or papaya instead of some of the veggies. You can add other vegetables, like fennel, radishes, bok choy, Brussels sprouts, etc. as well.

Why You’ll Love Sambharo

• nutritious veggie side with amazing textures and flavors
• simple tadka (spiced oil) dressing is easy to make in 1 pan
• versatile! Serve as a salad, cooked veggie side, or stuff into tacos
• naturally gluten-free, nut-free, and soy-free

Ingredients

• veggies – You will need green cabbage, carrots, and a golden beet. You can also add some sliced bell pepper and fennel, if you like.
• oil – To make the tadka (spiced oil) and to crisp up the lentils.
• whole spices – Black or brown mustard seeds will work for this Indian cabbage salad. You will also need fresh, frozen, or dried curry leaves.
• aromatics – Green chili and garlic add so much flavor to your sambharo!
• ground spices – Turmeric adds flavor and color to the cabbage salad. We are adding some cayenne to the lentils for heat, and you can add other spices to the lentils, if you like, such as garam masala, garlic powder, and dried fenugreek leaves.
• lime – We are using both the zest and juice of your lime in this recipe.
• lentils – For the crisp topping. You can make crispy chickpeas instead, if you don’t like lentils.
• garnishes – Cilantro and lime juice add freshness to the finished salad.

How to Make Indian Cabbage Salad

Chop the vegetables, if you haven’t already. You can put the cabbage, carrots and beet through a food processor or chop them by hand. I like to chop the cabbage by hand using a knife and then use a large grater to grate the carrot and the beet. For the beet, peel it, wash it really well and then grate it. For any other vegetables, you can use either a food processor, grater or knife and then set everything aside. You don’t want to mix the vegetables together, because they cook for different times.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Check if the oil is hot enough by dropping in a few mustard seeds. If they start to sizzle, the oil is ready. If they immediately start to pop, the oil is too hot, so reduce the heat and wait a few seconds. If nothing is happening, the oil hasn’t heated up enough yet.

Once the mustard seeds are gently sizzling, add the remaining mustard seeds and mix them in. Let them start to sizzle evenly and lighten in color a little bit. Add the green chilies, curry leaves, and garlic and mix well. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook until the garlic starts to turn golden. You don’t want to burn the garlic, but you also don’t want to leave it too white, because you want that toasty garlic flavor in the oil.

Once the garlic is starting to turn golden, add the shredded beet and a good dash of the salt, and mix well. Add 2 to 3 tablespoons water, mix again, then cover with a lid. Increase the heat to medium, and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the beet is cooked to your preference.

Add the turmeric and mix it in.

Then toss in the cabbage, carrots and the remaining salt. Increase the heat to medium-high and toss everything really well, almost like tossing vegetables in a wok. Continue tossing until all of the spiced oil is evenly distributed. Add the lime zest and lime juice. 

There are two texture options to choose from here. For a crunchier salad, switch off the heat, and toss everything well with the lime zest, lime juice and spiced oil. For a softer cooked vegetable side, continue cooking, cover with a lid and cook for 5 to 8 minutes or until the cabbage is cooked to your preference. For additional flavor, texture, and protein, you can add some hemp seeds and chopped peanuts. Then set the cabbage mixture aside.

Drain the lentils for at least 10 minutes in a strainer. You can cook them three ways depending on the texture of your lentils. If the lentils are still whole and haven’t opened up much, they work well in a skillet. If they are softer or have opened up, then those are overcooked lentils, and baking or air frying works better.

To pan fry, heat a skillet over medium-high heat and add the oil. Once the oil is hot, add the lentils, spread them out evenly and let them sit undisturbed for about 2 minutes. Stir a little, then let them sit again for another minute. Continue this process until they begin to get crispy and start to pop. Once they are evenly crisping and popping a bit, switch off the heat.

To air fry, toss the lentils with the oil and spread them in the air fryer basket. Air fry at 360° to 370° F (182° to 188° C) for 12 to 14 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes or so. Once they are evenly crisped, remove them from the air fryer.

To bake, toss the lentils with the oil and spread them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake at 400° C (205° C), and check them at the 15-minute mark. Stir them, then continue baking another 10 to 15 minutes, stirring again after about 6 to 7 minutes. Depending on your oven and the moisture content of the lentils, they may need only a few more minutes or much longer. After about 20 to 25 minutes total, reduce the oven temperature to 350° F (177° C), so they don’t scorch too much.

Once the lentils are crisp to your preference, remove them from the pan, oven, or air fryer. Add 1 teaspoon oil along with the salt and spices you’re using, and toss well to coat. You can also add garam masala, garlic powder, dried fenugreek leaves or any other spices while the lentils are still hot. Don’t forget the little bit of oil, because some of the crispy lentils can become a bit dry otherwise.

For a salad side dish, add the crispy lentils to the cabbage salad and serve. You can serve this salad warm, at room temperature or cold from the fridge.

To make tacos, add a good helping of the cabbage mixture, top it with the lentils, add a squeeze of lime or some sour cream and some cilantro, and you have amazing tacos.

How to Serve Sambharo

Sambharo is delicious alongside your favorite curry or dal. You can also serve this as a taco in a tortilla topped with some lime juice, sour cream, and cilantro.

Storage Directions

Store the cabbage salad and the lentils separately.

The cabbage salad will keep in the fridge in a closed container for up to 3 days. You can reheat it to serve, serve it at room temperature, or serve it cold from the fridge. Add a squeeze of lime and a splash of water while reheating or just before serving.

The lentils may soften in the fridge. Reheat them in a skillet or air fryer before serving.