Cumin Cabbage

Normally, I do not frequently post recipes onto the blog as I have a huge list of NEW restaurants to post about. However, this post has been waiting for too long- as you see the watermark is even the old one and not the new one with the copyright logo. There is also another reason for posting this recipe now: Weekend Wokking! As you see, this month's ingredient is CABBAGE.

The inspiration for making this dish was yet again from a restaurant, just like how I was inspired by Phoenix Inn's Mixed Seafood on Tofu. In this case however, it was inspired by Hong Yei Restaurant, which I was able to try their cumin cabbage (no post on this restaurant as I tried leftovers). The cumin cabbage was slightly spicy from dried chili peppers and chili oil, and was fragrant due to the abundance of cumin. In addition, the cabbage was crisp, but also very oily (boo). Since it seemed like it was easy to make, we tried making it at home with some adjustments to what we had.

Some of our adjustments included the lack chili peppers and chili oil, as well as using less oil and cooking the cabbage longer until slightly translucent. However, you can always cook the cabbage for a shorter amount of time and include chili pepper/oil for spice!

Below is the recipe. Very easy and simple! And for those who do not like cabbage a lot, this dish will hopefully make you enjoy cabbage more often. It did for me!

Cumin Cabbage
Serves 4 as a side dish

Ingredients:
1 medium head of cabbage (or red cabbage)
2 cloves garlic (use less or more to your own liking)
2 1/2 tablespoons ground cumin ( or enough to heavily sprinkle the cabbage)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon oil
3/4 cup water

Tools:
A wok or pan with a lid
A cutting board
A large knife
A large salad bowl (for rinsing the cabbage)
A spatula or other long tool for moving the food in the pan

Directions:
1. Take the head of cabbage out and cut into thick shreds.
2. Soak the cabbage in a tub of water for about 10 minutes to remove some bitterness as well as removing any dirt. Move the cabbage around in the water and then drain all the water out.
3. Mince the garlic into small pieces. Set aside.
4. Preheat your pan to medium high (if nonstick) or high heat (if using a wok). Add the oil in.
5. Add the garlic into the oil and cook until the oil is fragrant. The garlic should start to look shriveled in the oil.
6. Add the cabbage and stir everything in the pan around. Then, add the water in, and close the lid of the pan, and decrease the heat to medium or medium high heat and cook until the cabbage is translucent on the edges and is starting to get translucent in the middle. The water should be almost not visible by the end of this process.
7. Sprinkle the cumin evenly all over the cabbage, and then add the salt. Stir evenly and cook for another two minutes.
8. Pour out onto a serving platter and enjoy!

I am submitting this recipe to Weekend Wokking, a food blogging event created by Wandering Chopsticks to find the multiple ways we can cook one ingredient, which for this month is CABBAGE. The host this month is Graziana of Erbe in Cucina (Cooking with Herbs).