Cabbage is tastier if you stop boiling it and coat it in 1 common ingredient instead
Nothing is worse than having to eat mushy cabbage, but it can actually have a very sweet and rich taste if you take the time to prepare it properly with an everyday kitchen ingredient.
Cabbage is one of the best bargain foods at supermarkets in spring as it is currently in season, but most people are reluctant to buy it as it has a reputation for being really bitter. When people think of cabbage, they might think it looks like a mushy mess that smells awful, but it can actually taste incredible as long as you stop boiling it.
Most people boil their vegetables because it is convenient, but cabbage naturally contains sulfur compounds, which are released when it is cooked in water. It can wash out the actual flavourings to make it taste bland and will increase the bitterness, so you are left with a limp, watery dish that is not very appetising to eat. However, Karen Lee, a cook and founder of The Sensitive Foodie Kitchen, has shared that cabbage can have a rich taste as long as you soak it in vinegar or lemon juice.
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Karen said: “Leaving cabbage to soak in an acidic dressing for a short period of time does the job really well – and keeps the satisfying crunch too.
“Vinegar works well, but for anyone like me who cannot tolerate fermented products that’s not an option. I prefer to keep it simple – fresh lemon juice does the job just as well.”
Cabbage contains natural sugars, which become more noticeable when it is soaked in acidic ingredients like vinegar or lemon juice, which help brighten the flavour.
It will cut through the sulfur to make it taste a lot fresher and also helps give the cabbage a slightly firmer texture.
Using lemon juice or vinegar on cabbage simply brings out its sweetness to make it taste a lot better and prevents it from becoming limp or soggy.
Now that the sun is out, most people are making light meals, and cabbage actually works very well in salads when it is prepared properly.
How to make a tasty cabbage salad
You will need:
- 150 to 200g of cabbage
- One medium onion
- 50g of walnuts
- One large lemon (for lemon juice)
- One tablespoon of extra virgin oil
- Two tablespoons of chopped herbs (such as parsley, coriander or mint)
- Salt and pepper
Red cabbage is often used in salads because it is firmer and a little crunchier when raw, but you can use green cabbage if you prefer.
It is better to juice a lemon yourself as fresh lemon juice is a lot more potent than the bottled version so it will taste a lot better.
Method:
To begin, tear the cabbage into bite-sized pieces and chop up the onion. Place them both together in a large bowl.
Next, pour the lemon juice (or vinegar), oil, salt and pepper into the bowl. Toss everything to ensure everything is evenly coated.
Salt is the second most important ingredient when cooking with cabbage as it will draw out moisture, which helps make it less soggy and helps it become more tender.
Leave the cabbage to marinate in the dressing for at least an hour, however the salad will taste even better if you can leave it for longer.
When you are ready to serve, add the chopped herbs, walnuts and season with extra pepper. Your cabbage salad should be bursting with fresh flavours and be really enjoyable to eat.
