Stuffed Cabbage Japanese Style Food

CABBAGE ROLLS - JAPANESE STYLE

Steps:

• Heat oil and butter in a frying pan over medium heat and sauté the onion for about 3 minutes until some onion pieces start browning around the edges. Turn the heat off and let it cool.
• Trim the thick vein from the core-end of the leaf so that the thickness of the vein becomes similar to the rest of the leaf.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil with a pinch of salt. Add the cabbage leaves to the boiling water and cook for about 3 minutes until the leaves become soft. (note 6)
• Transfer the leaves to a bowl of cold water to cool them down quickly, then pat dry with paper towels.
• Put the cooked onion and the rest of the Filling ingredients in a bowl and mix well.
• Divide the filling into 4 equal portions and shape them into a barrel shape.
• Spread a cabbage leaf on a cooking bench with the core-end pointing to you (note 3) and place one of the fillings in the middle closer to the vein end (see the step-by-step photo in the post).
• From the core-end, roll the leaf up tightly. When the core-end reaches to the other side of the filling covering the filling completely, fold each side of the cabbage leaf over to the centre so that the width of the unrolled cabbage leaf becomes the same as the filling.
• Continue rolling the filling with the leaf until the end. If the side of the roll is sticking out, gently push it in to the centre and shape the roll into a fat log shape.
• Place the cabbage rolls, the end of roll facing down, into a deep medium size frying pan that can snuggly fit the cabbage in.
• Spread the bacon strips over the cabbage rolls. Pour the chicken stock as well as water over them and bring to a boil over medium high heat.
• When it starts boiling, reduce the heat to low and cook for 30-40 minutes with a lid on until the broth reduces to less than half (note 4).
• Transfer the cabbage rolls to serving plates and pour over the broth. Garnish with parsley if using. Serve while hot.

STUFFED CABBAGE, JAPANESE STYLE

Steps:

• Parboil cabbage leaves until almost tender, then drain and cool.
• Cut away thicker portion of cabbage vein.
• Mix together pork and other stuffing ingredients in a mixing bowl until well combined.
• Divide stuffing among base of cabbage leaves; roll and fold in sides to form envelope, until cabbage wraps around.
• Secure seam with a toothpick.
• Mix together simmering ingredients.
• Place rolls in a saucepan and pour simmering sauce over; cover and bring to a boil over high heat.
• Reduce heat to low and simmer 8-9 minutes, then remove from heat.
• Allow rolls to cool in sauce to absorb flavor.
• Meanwhile, nip ends off snow peas and string; then cut into julienne strips.
• Parboil snow pea strips until crisp-tender, then plunge into cold ice water to halt cooking.
• Reheat rolls in sauce.
• To serve, remove toothpick, cut roll into thin rounds, and place on dish with snow pea garnish alongside, and warm cooking sauce ladled over.

JAPANESE CABBAGE ROLLS

Steps:

• Wash cabbage leaves and steam or boil them to soften.
• Mince shiitake mushrooms, carrot, and onion.
• Mix ground pork, shiitake, carrot, and onion in a bowl. Add salt and mix further. Divide the pork mixture into 8 portions.
• Put one portion of pork mixture on a cabbage leaf and roll it. Make 8 cabbage rolls.
• Put chicken soup stock and soy sauce in a deep pan and place cabbage rolls in the pan. Simmer the cabbage rolls on low heat until meat is cooked.

ASIAN STUFFED CABBAGE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400º.
• In a large bowl, combine: ground beef sirloin, shiitake mushrooms, brown rice, garlic cloves, ginger, scallions, soy sauce, sesame oil, red pepper flakes, salt.
• Remove 8 large outer leaves from cabbage (if leaves are less than 5 inches wide, overlap 2 leaves, side by side). With a rolling pin, roll each leaf until the stem end is pliable.
• Dividing among leaves, mound meat mixture toward upturned stem end. Starting from filled end, holding sides in as you work, tightly roll each leaf into a bundle.
• Arrange cabbage rolls, seam-side down, in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Pour 1 cup water over rolls; cover dish tightly with aluminum foil. Bake until an instant-read thermometer registers 160º when in­serted into a roll, 30 to 35 minutes. Serve drizzled with juices and sprinkled with red pepper, if desired. (Or dip in Thai Dipping Sauce #33113 - Yum!).