Not coleslaw

At this time of year, I start seeing beautiful little heads of cabbage at the City Market. I'm always tempted to get one or two, but how much coleslaw can you eat (even Brother Juniper's)? So here is something that is definitely not coleslaw: a stir-fried cabbage with Indian spices. Mom and I love it and have it often as a simple vegetarian meal served over brown jasmine rice or Thai Coconut Rice.

Stir-Fried "Crack" Cabbage

Adapted from Quick & Easy Indian Cooking (2007) by Madhur Jaffrey via Food52

Time: 35 minutes

1 medium-large onion (~200 grams)
1½ pounds green cabbage (~1 small head or half a large head)
¼ cup (53 grams) olive, sunflower, or vegetable oil
1 teaspoon sesame seeds
½ teaspoon fennel seeds
¼ teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon sea salt
⅛ to ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon (15 grams) freshly squeezed lemon juice
½ teaspoon garam masala (store bought or homemade)

    1. Trim the top off the onion, leaving the root attached. Cut in half through the root (pole to pole). Peel the onion, then cut each half pole to pole into fine half rings.
    2. Remove the coarse outer leaves of the cabbage until you're left with the tightly packed leaves. Stand the cabbage up on its stem and cut it in half. Remove the stem using diagonal cuts around the core. Place the cabbage on your cutting board cut side down, then slice lengthwise into very fine, long shreds.
    3. Put the oil in a large nonstick pan, and set the pan over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the sesame, fennel, and cumin seeds. When the sesame seeds begin to pop, add the onion. Stir fry until the onion has browned a bit around the edges, 3 to 4 minutes.
    4. Add the cabbage shreds, fitting as much as you can comfortably in the pan. It will shrink as it cooks so you can wait to add more as you go if necessary. Stir fry until the cabbage has softened and shrunk down some, about 6 minutes. Stir in the salt and cayenne. Turn the heat down to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are softened and caramelized, about 7 or 8 minutes more.
    5. Stir in the lemon juice and garam masala. Taste and adjust for seasoning. Serve promptly over rice (Thai Coconut Rice is especially good). Serves 4.