Pan-Fried Cabbage with Chilli & Garlic Recipe
The dark-green, knubbly leaves of Savoy Cabbage are rich in vitamins and minerals, and it seems a shame to waste all these goodies by letting them leach out into a pan of boiling water. Other cooking methods will produce tasty results without destroying the health benefits of fresh veg; in this recipe, the cabbage is cooked quickly over a high heat, with a couple of flavourful additions for a fast and simple side-dish. This method will work well with other leafy veg, including shredded kale, spring greens and Brussels sprouts, and it’s also worth experimenting with your own ‘extras’; you could try swapping the tamari sauce for a couple of tinned anchovies, ‘melted’ into the hot oil before the cabbage is added, or sprinkle some toasted hazelnuts or sesame seeds over the cooked cabbage before serving. Serves 4, as a side dish.
Method
Cut all the leaves from the cabbage, discarding any that are damaged or discoloured, and wash the rest. Shake them dry, then cut the thick central stalk out of each leaf; you can save time by stacking several similarly-sized leaves on top of each other, and cutting down through them in one go. Discard any really tough-looking stalks, chop the remainder into very fine slices and set aside.
Place the trimmed leaves on top of each other, then roll them tightly into a bundle. Holding the bundle still, shred the leaves into fine slices by cutting down through the rolled-up leaves. Next, place a large shallow pan (a fairly deep frying pan is ideal) over a low-medium heat and add the oil. Put the garlic slices into the hot oil and allow them to sizzle for a few seconds, then add the sliced cabbage stalks and cook for one minute, stirring to prevent sticking or burning.
Add the shredded cabbage leaves, mixing them into the hot oil and garlic – depending on the size of your pan, you may need to add the cabbage in batches, allowing each batch to soften a little before adding the next. Keep turning and stirring the cabbage, cooking it for 3-4 minutes, or until it has lost its rawness.
Sprinkle over the chopped chilli and the tamari sauce, stir through, then serve.
