Description
Polish cabbage rolls merge hearty plant-based ingredients into a comforting Eastern European classic. Mediterranean herbs and robust spices elevate this traditional dish, helping you savor authentic flavors with each delicious bite.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 large napa cabbage (10–12 leaves)
- 1 ¼ cups (250 g) sushi rice or short-grain rice
- 8 white button mushrooms (diced, canned or fresh)
- 1 medium (120 g) carrot (diced)
- 2 medium (70 g) peppers (diced)
- 1 medium onion (diced)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 tbsp ginger (minced)
- 2 tbsps tamari or coconut aminos
- ½ tsp sea salt
- ½ tsp ground pepper
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes (or to taste)
- 1 tsp oil (sesame oil)
- ½ tbsp ginger (minced)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 ½ tbsps tamari or coconut aminos
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- ¾ tbsp maple syrup
- ½ cup (120 ml) water
- ½ tbsp cornstarch
- salt (to taste)
- pepper (to taste)
- red pepper flakes (to taste)
- smoked paprika (to taste)
- sesame seeds (to garnish)
Instructions
- Rice Preparation: Thoroughly rinse sushi rice, soak for an hour, then simmer in salted water until tender and fluffy.
- Cabbage Preparation: Blanch cabbage leaves in boiling water for 2-3 minutes, immediately transfer to ice bath, then drain and set aside.
- Vegetable Sauté: In a skillet, heat oil and sauté onions, ginger, garlic, carrots, peppers, and mushrooms until fragrant and slightly translucent, then incorporate tamari and spices.
- Filling Creation: Blend cooked rice into the vegetable mixture, ensuring even distribution of ingredients.
- Rolling Technique: Place softened cabbage leaf flat, center rice mixture, fold edges inward, and roll tightly to form compact parcels.
- Searing Process: In a hot skillet with oil, brown cabbage rolls on all sides until a golden crust develops.
- Sauce Crafting: Sauté ginger and garlic, add tamari, rice vinegar, and maple syrup, create cornstarch slurry to thicken sauce until glossy.
- Final Presentation: Arrange cabbage rolls on serving plate, generously drizzle with prepared sauce, and garnish with sesame seeds.
Notes
- Rinse Rice Carefully: Thorough rinsing removes excess starch, ensuring fluffy and separate rice grains for perfect texture.
- Soften Cabbage Gently: Blanching leaves prevents tearing and makes rolling easier, creating neat, professional-looking cabbage rolls.
- Sauté Vegetables Precisely: Cooking vegetables until fragrant but not fully soft maintains their texture and enhances overall flavor profile.
- Thicken Sauce Strategically: Using cornstarch creates a glossy, restaurant-quality sauce that clings beautifully to cabbage rolls, elevating the dish’s presentation.
- Prep Time: 60 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Lunch, Snacks
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: Eastern European
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 220
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 300 mg
- Fat: 5 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg