7.11.2012

Cabbage

I am on a cabbage kick lately. I used to only think of it as:

(a) something very soft and mushy that comes with corned beef (ps I actually like it this way too!)
(b) something that gets thrown at you at the St. Patty's Day parade in New Orleans (yes, you pick it up off the ground and then cook it according to situation a)
(c) something that was in nasty, mayonnaise filled, sweet, gross coleslaw. I always hated coleslaw.

BUT.

During my travels I have seen it in many a dish, so I thought I would try to experiment a bit. I have to admit, Mr. Lovely also spurned this, as we went to a Vietnamese place and got their cabbage salad and he asked me if I could make it for him. So I did.


Mr. Lovely's Vietnamese Salad

1/2 head of cabbage, shredded
2 medium carrots, grated
Several Basil Leaves, chopped
Peanuts, ground

Sauce:
1/4 cup rice vinegar
Squirt of Sriracha (hot!) 
1 heaping tsp minced ginger (I'm lazy. I use this)
salt to taste
1 tsp sugar/honey (or more to taste)

Optional: 1 tbsp peanut butter / 1 tsp finely minced garlic / chopped broccoli

Mix everything together. Eat. Enjoy. Simple and tangy and crunchy! This will even last for a few days in the fridge without losing it's crunch. This is also really good on a fish taco instead of lettuce!

Trying to Make Teriyaki Stir Fry

Sometimes I try things and I don't have all the ingredients but it comes out just fine! This was my attempt to do teriyaki chicken, but I didn't have soy sauce, which you may know is the main ingredient in teriyaki sauce, but it ended up turning out pretty good actually.

3 - 5 baby bok choy, quartered
1/4 cabbage head, shredded
1/2 yellow onion, diced
1 carrot, diced
1 celery stalk, diced
4 mushrooms
2 chicken breasts, diced

For not really teriyaki sauce (here is the real recipe in case you would rather make that):
1/4 cup water
2 tbsp flour (recipe calls for cornstarch)
3 tbsp brown sugar
1 minced garlic clove
1 tsp ginger

In small saucepan, put all sauce elements. Heat slowly, stirring frequently. Once sauce reaches desired thickness, take off heat (about 10 minutes). Heat large pan. Once hot, add oil of choice. Add chicken. Once chicken is browned, add veggies. Let cook for about 5 minutes, until veggies are cooked but still crisp. Add "teriyaki" sauce. Eat. Enjoy.

I admit, it may have been better with soy sauce, but it was still really good without it! It just wasn't teriyaki!

So, cabbage is not just for gross coleslaw! In fact, I even have discovered that all coleslaw is not gross! I think my next cabbage attempt will be sauerkraut! I love sauerkraut!

Do you have a favorite cabbage recipe? Do you like coleslaw? Have you ever thrown a cabbage or had one thrown at you?

9 comments:

  1. We've been digging cabbage too, that looks like a great recipe. We used some last night in our fish tacos.

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  2. I never really think about cabbage and I don't think I have ever cooked with it... I'm not a huge fan of coleslaw but I don't hate it either. Lately it makes me think of my favorite pupusa stand in Des Moines because they serves their pupusas with slaw ;)

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  3. Yum! I love cabbage- when I can convince my family to eat it!

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  4. That stir fry sounds so good! This is perfect timing as I was just looking at a big cabbage in our fridge and debating how to use it for dinner.

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  5. I love cabbage, my favorite is stuffed cabbage, but it does take a long time to make...

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  6. I love cabbage and stir fry is one of our favorite things to make for dinner. My mom makes an amazing cabbage salad with cashews in it. I could eat that for days!

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  7. Ooh, throwing a cabbage sounds fun, I might have to try that:) My neighbor makes this amazing spicy coleslaw that I love. I got her recipe and now I make it. My kids love it too:)

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  8. yum!! I was at the market this week and they were saying how cabbage is almost done for right now, I think I need to find some asap!

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  9. Yum, I love cabbage. There was a chicken napa cabbage salad I used to make all the time but now I can't find the recipe! It had a sesame oil + rice wine vinegar dressing and was delish!

    I also love coleslaw. We ate cabbage alot growing up, and I Have always loved it!! Mr. L's recipe looks awesome! :)

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