There is nothing more common than cabbage, and like many common things, the story of the cabbage is far from simple. And while this vegetable is linked with all sorts of culinary abominations — soggy boiled cabbage comes to mind — when treated right, it can truly shine.
But doing cabbage justice is not always easy. The word cabbage, in the western culinary world, encompasses a wide variety of plants from loose leafed collards to tightly bunched drumheads, and from large heads of Savoy to tiny Brussels sprouts. And that is even before you arrive in Asia, where there is a whole new world of related vegetables. And while these are all from the same family, the best methods of preparation can vary significantly, with some requiring little or no cooking at all, while others are best suited to long stints in the fermentation vat.
Alan Davidson, author of The Penguin Companion to Food, always an invaluable reference for getting a steer on any food-related topic, starts his entry on Chinese cabbage with the caveat that the term has “a bewildering number of applications. Confusion is compounded by the fact that many Chinese names for species or varieties are taking their place in the English language … and by the lack of agreement among botanists on their botanical classification.”
Photo: Ian Bartholomew
I felt better after reading that and realizing that I was not the only person utterly confused about the correct name of the various types of cabbage that I see in the market. Costermongers are not always particularly helpful and their explanations have often contributed to rather than resolved my confusion. Different varieties of cabbage are available throughout the year, but the one I associate most fondly with the winter months is the one called, for want of a better name, “cabbage hearts” (高麗菜心) or “cabbage shoots” (高麗菜芽,高麗菜嬰仔,甘藍芽). I have never seen this vegetable outside of Taiwan, and they may be specific to the agricultural traditions here, and are less a specific cultivar than a secondary growth of the ubiquitous head cabbage sometimes erroneously translated as “Korean cabbage,” but in fact derives its Chinese name from the German word for cabbage, “kohl,” a term that carries over into English with words such as coleslaw, a salad of finely shredded cabbage.
Cabbage shoots do not look anything like your conventional cabbage. They are small, loose leaf growths with firm, dark green leaves, sometimes with a seminal head forming in the center, though at other times this is completely absent. These leaves grow from the stalks, left in the ground after harvest, of regular cabbages, producing a distinctive textural and flavor profile, with plenty of crunch and hints of mustard, and generally lacking the slightly sulfurous odor often associated with cabbage.
They do not have the robust storage properties of head cabbage and are best eaten fresh. The trick in preparing these leaves is to blanch them very quickly before frying them, a combination of both processes, the first slightly softening the stiff ribs of the leaves and fixing the bright green color; the second providing a light coat of seasoned oil, are to my mind the best way of enjoying this vegetable.
Photo: Ian Bartholomew
There are some who say that these leaves from a secondary growth are even more nutritious than your regular cabbage, but I have yet to find any scientific backing for this claim. But even if they have one half of the benefits attributed to regular cabbage, they will contribute no end to keeping your body free of unwelcome inflammation, contribute a vast store of nutrition, and all but keep you alive indefinitely. Cabbage shoots will keep well for up to a week in the fridge, and are convenient as a side for any kind of meal, either Chinese or western. As with the recipe that I have provided here, I find it makes a particularly good pairing with steak.
Cabbage shoots with grains and beef
Recipe
(serves two)
In this instance, I have prepared the cabbage shoots with bulgur wheat, but it can pair equally well with all kinds of grain. Spelt, which is becoming increasingly popular with health food aficionados, also works well. But fancy grains are not necessary at all, and I have thrown this dish together with some warmed-up day-old brown rice to particularly toothsome effect. The use of a thick cut sirloin in this case is also culinary affectation, and seared loin or even some finely sliced flank will do very well, as will some pork jowl fillet (鬆阪豬), which has become a premium cut of pork but is easily available at traditional butchers.
Ingredients
300g beef sirloin
1 bag cabbage shoots (approx. 150g)
olive oil
1/8 cup vegetable stock
a small nub of ginger, finely sliced
200g bulgur wheat
half a small onion, finely chopped
salt and pepper to season
Directions
1. Season the steak generously with salt and pepper. Rub with olive oil.
2. Place in a preheated oven at 100c for about 30 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 42 degrees Celsius.
3. Heat a griddle until very hot. Remove the steaks from the oven and place them directly on the griddle. Sear the meat on both side for about 2 minutes a side. Depending on how you like your steak, remove from griddle when internal temperature reaches about 50c (rare). One or two degrees higher if you prefer your meat medium.
4. Set aside and allow to rest for at least five minutes, preferably 10.
5. Cook the bulgur wheat in lightly salted water, drain and toss with onion.
6. Clean the cabbage shoots, breaking up any heads that are too tightly bunched.
7. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Throw in the cabbage leaves, bring back to a boil and remove. Drain well.
8. Heat a skillet with olive oil and add the ginger. Fry until fragrant and add the blanched cabbage shoots. Stir rapidly, add stock and season with salt and pepper. Cook for about one minute and remove.
9. Mix vegetables and grain together and heap on a plate. Serve with steak either alone or with some good salt or mustard.
Ian Bartholomew runs Ian’s Table, a small guesthouse in Hualien. He has lived in Taiwan for many years writing about the food scene and has decided that until you look at farming, you know nothing about the food you eat. He can be contacted at Hualien202@gmail.com.
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