Cabbage and Asparagus stir-fry with pepper (Miriapito)
Cabbage and Asparagus stir-fry with Pepper (Miriapito) is a Mangalorean vegetarian side dish incorporating cabbage and asparagus and comes together in under 20 minutes. Great with rice and meat curries or with roasts, grilled chicken, pot roasts.
Miriapito ('miri' means pepper and 'pito' means powder) is a no-fuss traditional Mangalorean Catholic specialty, typically made with vegetables such as Ivy Gourd (tendli in Konkani and Marathi, Kovakkai in Tamil language) or Lady’s-finger (bendan in Konkani and okra or bendi in Hindi). 'Miriapito' is a childhood favourite of mine but today I am sharing my brand new version of 'Miriapito' incorporating two power packed vegetables - cabbage and asparagus. This Cabbage and Asparagus stir-fry with Pepper is my latest favourite version of miriapito and it is totally satisfying.
Each time I am about to prepare ‘miriapito’, I think of my dear mother because it was my job to grind the pepper while she prepared the ivy gourd or bendan for this dish. Grinding pepper in the absence of a pepper mill was a manual job back in the day. I used a small wooden cutting board as a base and a small hammer to crush the home-grown pepper to the right texture for the dish.
Yes you have heard it right. In this dish, the only spice I have used is coarsely ground black pepper powder. Life cannot get easier than cooking with one spice particularly in an Indian kitchen!!!
I am not that keen on using frozen ivy gourd and the lady’s finger turns out quite slimy so today I am sharing my own version of “Miriapito” incorporating two power packed vegetables – cabbage and asparagus. It’s a plonk and cook dish where you plonk the cabbage, oil and onion in a shallow frying pan and cook cabbage till just tender. Add the asparagus at the end of cooking for that extra crunch and sprinkle a generous sprinkle of coarsely ground black pepper. Just to retain the crunch of the asparagus, I have microwaved it just till crunchy. It is important to remember not to overcook the asparagus as we want this dish to have a good amount of crunch coming from cabbage and the asparagus.
WHAT goes well with this miriapito
This miriapito side dish of cabbage and asparagus is very versatile. I love it with any beef, chicken or pork curries. Miriapito also tastes delicious with roasts, grilled chicken and pot roasts. There are times I have had a big bowl of this miriapito for my dinner just on its own, and I would not hesitate to say that it also makes a complete lunch or dinner option by itself without any rice, if you want to reduce your carbohydrate intake for the day.
WHICH IS THE BEST CABBAGE TO USE FOR MIRIAPITO
Although green, red, Chinese wombok and savoy cabbages are sold in my local supermarket/green grocer, I have almost always used only green cabbage for this recipe. You only need half the cabbage as it makes 4 side servings. If you are using as a meal option, then it will make 2 large servings.
Look for cabbage that feels heavy for its size and has tightly packed and moist looking leaves.
Now that you know how simple this dish can be, give it a try and if you do, don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave a comment. The comments can be left in the comment box which is located just underneath the recipe. Go ahead and leave a comment. We would love to hear from you!!
If you want that crunch in your mouth, get crunching with the recipe below and enjoy!!!
Cabbage and Asparagus stir-fry with Pepper (Miriapito)
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp. vegetable oil
- 500 g green cabbage
- 350 g green asparagus 3 bunches
- 1 small Spanish onion peeled and cut into wedges
- ½ -¾ tsp. garlic salt or to taste plus ¼ tsp. extra to sprinkle on asparagus
- 1 tsp. coarsely ground pepper or to taste
- ½ tsp. white sugar
Instructions
- Rinse cabbage well under cold running water and blot dry with paper towels. Using a chef’s knife, slice off the root of the cabbage and cut lengthwise through the core into half. Remove the triangular inner cores of each half by cutting it at an angle where the stem meets the leaves of the cabbage. With the cut side down on the cutting board, cut crosswise into thin slices about 7cm L x 2 cm W.
- Wash asparagus under cold running water. Dry them on a kitchen towel or paper towel. Place the asparagus spears all facing in the same direction on the cutting board. Slice off the tough bottom parts of the spears which is white or light purple in colour. Slice the spears diagonally into 5cm spears. Place the asparagus into a microwave proof dish, sprinkle with ¼ tsp. garlic salt and toss quickly. Microwave asparagus for 3 minutes uncovered (See NOTES below). Set aside.
- Add oil, cabbage and onion to a large heavy based non-stick frying pan or skillet. Place over medium heat and cook for 5 minutes. Start to stir after 3 minutes when the oil is beginning to warm up. While stirring, ensure that the cabbage is coated with oil and beginning to get crunchy. As the cabbage cooks only with oil, no water should be added.
- Add the salt, freshly ground pepper, sugar and the cooked asparagus and stir fry for 1 more minute, ensuring to gently combine the asparagus with the cabbage.
- Remove from heat and serve immediately with any roasts or curries as a side dish or simply enjoy it as a healthy vegetarian lunch or dinner option. You must serve immediately, to retain the crunchiness of the cabbage and asparagus.
Notes
- I have a 1100 Watts microwave and the asparagus cooked in 3 minutes. The exact timing will depend on the size of the stalks and the maturity of the spears with fresher asparagus cooking faster. Cook as per the instructions of your microwave. The asparagus needs to be tender but should have a crunch.
- We also want to feel the crunch in the cabbage. Crunch is important for this dish, crunch, crunch and more crunch both with cabbage and also the asparagus. Do not overcook the cabbage or else the texture becomes soft and limp.
- If you do not have garlic salt, you may use normal salt.
Hi, I’m Catherine!
I’m all about creating tasty Indian dishes with whatever’s on hand, even when I’m short on time or budget. I love turning simple ingredients into flavorful delights. Join me on this culinary adventure where we’ll explore the magic of Indian cuisine, one delicious dish at a time!
My Favourites
