Cabbage is a common ingredient in many recipes, but it is best known for making cabbage soup diet. There are different kinds of cabbage, the most popular being white, red and Savoy. While their nutritional profiles are similar, their taste and appearance are quite different. If you’ve always wanted to know how to cook cabbage or you’d like to try out a different kind, there are great cooking tips and methods to get you started.
Why You Should Know How to Cook Cabbage
Despite the type of cabbage you prefer, this vegetable has lots of nutritional properties. It contains vitamins C and K, which assists your immune system to fight diseases, boosts brain function, cellular health and can even slow down the aging process. It is also rich in fiber, a necessary substance for an effective digestive system.
Cabbage can also provide sulphur and glutamine. Combined, these nutrients can ward off cancers and reduce inflammation. Cabbage is also believed to be a negative calorie food, which means it requires more calories to burn that it contains. This is the premise that the cabbage soup diet is based on.
How to Cook Cabbage
Each type of cabbage has its own cooking time. White cabbage, for instance, blanches faster than red cabbage. Always be mindful of the type of cabbage you are cooking for best results.
Blanching
If you want a crash course in learning how to cook cabbage, blanching is the easiest method to adopt. First, peel the cabbage of its leaves, and cut or shred the rest. Group the leaves you want to cook into batches. Bring a pot of slightly salted water to a boil, throw in cabbage and boil until they are soft. Don’t boil for more than 5 minutes. Scoop out leaves and transfer them to a bowl of ice water immediately.
Steaming
If you want your cabbage to have a much tender texture, try steaming. Cut the cabbage into wedges or very thin slices. Insert leaves into a steamer basket and cook covered. Slices should be ready in +-5 minutes and wedges in 10. All types of cabbage can be steamed, but it is not recommended to prepare red and Savoy cabbage this way.
Stir-Fry
Cabbage stir-fry can be very tasty and is easy to learn if you want to know how to cook cabbage quickly. Start by blanching sliced leaves first until they are tender. Heat 1 or 2 tablespoons of oil in a pan and stir-fry cabbage and any other veggies of your choice until they are slightly wilted.
Braise
Braising is best suited for cooking red and Savoy cabbage. A simple recipe is to add 100 grams of sugar and 125 milliliters of vinegar. Simmer until the ingredients reach a syrup-like consistency, and stir in some shredded cabbage. Allow it to cook for approximately 15 minutes and add herbs and spices of your choice. Pour in 750 ml of red wine and reduce heat to low. Cook until tender.
Boiling
If you prefer very tender cabbage for soups, you can add other vegetables and meats and boil in water. It can take anywhere from 10 minutes to 2 hours depending on how tender you need ingredients to be.
Season as desired.
If you’ve always boiled your cabbage but never liked the scent, try other cooking methods like blanching, steaming, sautéing or braising. Feel free to add other vegetables and seasoning to boost flavor. Low in calories and high in nutritional value, learning how to cook cabbage can enrich your diet with many essential nutrients.
Recipes using cabbage:
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