Ben Benton is one of the greatest chefs I know. This is his recipe, and although he is not Keralan, he has a tremendous ability to get under the skin of the cuisine. He taught me that by grilling the cut sides of cabbage a whole new side of its personality is revealed: the layers within become sweet and tender. Then, tossed with lime and coconut, it becomes livelyโa great side to eat with a spiced rice dish, or with crab or shrimp.
Serves 4 as a side
1ยฝ cups fresh coconut, or 1/3 cup desiccated
ยฝ a red onion, very finely diced
ยฝ-inch piece of ginger, peeled and finely grated
2 large ripe tomatoes, finely diced
1 teaspoon ground red chile
1 tablespoon lime juice
1/3 teaspoon salt
2 sweetheart, pointed, or Napa cabbages (1ยพ pounds in total)
canola or coconut oil
First make the coconut and tomato salad. If youโre using fresh coconut, pop it into a blender to shred it, or grate it with a box grater, and put into a bowl. If youโre using desiccated coconut, pour 2 tablespoons of boiling water over the coconut, leave for a couple of minutes, then fluff up using a fork. Add the red onion, ginger, tomatoes, ground red chile, lime juice, and salt. Mix well and leave to one side.
To cook the cabbages, first quarter them lengthways, then brush each side with oil. Put a large griddle pan or frying pan over medium heat. Wait until the pan is really hotโthe cabbage should sizzle when it goes inโthen add the wedges. You might need to cook them in batches.
Grill for 10 to 12 minutes, until lightly charred and tender on both sides, turning every couple of minutes. Then throw in the coconut and tomato mixture and gently toss to warm through for a couple of heartbeats.
Serve the cabbage piled on a plate, topped with the warm coconut and tomato mixture.
