Vietnamese Boiled Cabbage Recipes

BOILED CABBAGE

Steps:

• Scatter the bacon in a large Dutch oven and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate using a slotted spoon and set aside.
• Remove all but about 1 tablespoon of the bacon fat from the pot and add 2 tablespoons of the butter. When the butter has melted, add the broth, nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a generous amount of pepper. Simmer for about 2 minutes to blend the flavors.
• Add the cabbage, bring the liquid back to a simmer over low heat and cover the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the cabbage is very tender, about 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, if needed. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a microwave or a small pot and drizzle over the cabbage. Just before serving, top with the reserved bacon.

VIETNAMESE BOILED CABBAGE

Steps:

• Put cabbabe and ginger slices in a medium pot, put enough water in to cover the cabbage. Add salt if used.
• Bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer. Cook for about 4 minutes or until cabbage is cooked - color becomes clear, but not too soft.
• Drain pot of water (save if used for soup) and fill with cold water to stop the cooking.
• Drain completely and put cabbage into serving dish.
• Garnish with ginger slices - we don't eat these but the color is interesting.
• Sauce:.
• Peel hard boiled egg and put into small bowl, pour fish sauce over egg. Use a fork, mash the egg with the fish sauce. Cutting the egg white into small pieces.
• Dip pieces of boiled cabbage into the sauce and enjoy.
• Sometimes if we do not have a soup, my mom would serve the cabbage and ginger broth as a soup in which case she would add the salt to the cooking water and also add fish sauce to the broth at the table to taste. We also add fresh lime juices to the broth at the table if we are using it as a soup. I like this broth poured over a small amount of steamed white rice in my little bowl with a few drops of Tabasco because I love spicy food.

GINGERY CABBAGE ROLLS WITH PORK AND RICE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and season with salt.
• Prepare the cabbage: Remove about 12 large outer leaves, reserving the rest of the cabbage for another use. Once the water boils, lower the heat to medium so that the water reaches a gentle boil. Add the cabbage leaves, about 4 at a time, and cook until tender and flexible but leaves remain intact and maintain their crunch, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a towel-lined plate and set aside to cool slightly while you make the filling. Repeat with remaining cabbage leaves.
• Prepare the filling: In a large bowl, combine pork, rice, egg, scallions, ginger and soy sauce with 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper.
• Assemble the cabbage rolls: Working with one cooked cabbage leaf at a time, place it on a cutting board or other flat surface with its stem end at the bottom. Spoon a heaping 1/4 cup of the pork mixture in the center and mold the mixture into a rough 2- to 3-inch log. Pull the stem end over the meat mixture, and fold the right and left sides of the leaf over and roll tightly to the very top. Place the cabbage rolls seam-side down in a large Dutch oven or ovenproof, straight-sided saucepan. Repeat with the remaining cabbage and pork filling.
• Pour the chicken broth over the cabbage rolls and bring to a boil over medium. Cover the pan, transfer to the oven, and bake until cabbage rolls are fork tender and the meat mixture is cooked through, 40 to 45 minutes. Serve with ladles of broth over the rolls and a drizzle of sesame oil.

BOILED CABBAGE

Steps:

• Add about 8 cups of water to a pot.
• Add 8 beef bullion cubes, one for each cup of water.
• Boil so the cubes melt.
• Add the cabbage and boil about 15 minutes or until tender.

CRUNCHY VIETNAMESE CABBAGE SALAD WITH PAN-SEARED TOFU

Steps:

• To make vinaigrette, whisk together 2 tablespoons soy sauce, brown sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoons fish sauce, lime zest and juice, jalapeño and garlic. Whisk in 3 tablespoons peanut oil.
• Pat the tofu dry with paper towels. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon peanut oil in a large skillet, preferably nonstick. When it shimmers, add the tofu. Cook 3 minutes without moving, until golden brown on the bottom. Flip and cook 2 minutes more. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce and 1/2 teaspoon fish sauce. Move the tofu to a cutting board, and brush both sides of each slice generously with this mixture. Cut tofu into bite-size pieces.
• In a large bowl, toss together tofu, cabbage, carrot, peanuts, cilantro and vinaigrette. Garnish with more peanuts and cilantro.

VIETNAMESE CABBAGE

Steps:

• Beat the egg with the fish sauce and set aside.
• Heat wok over high heat, add garlic and oil.
• When garlic turns brown remove and discard it.
• Add cabbage, stir fry 2 minutes.
• Add 2 Tbs water, cover and cook on medium heat for 3 minutes.
• Increase heat to high and make a well in cabbage.
• Pour egg mixture in well.
• Stir fry 2 more minutes, add pepper and serve.