In a world where culinary creativity often takes a back seat to convenience, many cooks find themselves pondering what to do with that humble cabbage sitting in the fridge.
Often overlooked, this cruciferous vegetable doesn’t merely serve as a side dish; it can be the star of an extraordinary meal.
Cabbage doesn’t get enough credit. During the summer, it gets disguised in a bowl of mayonnaise and shredded carrots, while corn and leafy salad greens soak up all the attention.
In the winter, cabbage sits patiently in our crisper drawers while we roast butternut squash for months on end.
But cabbage is the sleeper workhorse in your kitchen. It keeps for months without wilting or rotting and it’s a versatile ingredient that can handle almost any preparation you can think of.
There’s more to the world of cabbage than just the head of green cabbage you would use for creamy coleslaw.
Enter the hoisin mushroom cabbage wraps – a vibrant, flavour-packed dish that transforms a simple ingredient into something extraordinary. The combination of tender cabbage leaves filled with umami-rich mushrooms and the sweet, tangy notes of hoisin sauce offers a delightful medley that’s both satisfying and nutritious.
Plus, these wraps are incredibly versatile, making them suitable for various dietary preferences, whether vegetarian, vegan or simply looking to cut down on meat.
Hoisin mushroom cabbage wraps
Serves: 4
Ingredients
1 small head red cabbage
Sesame oil, for cooking
500g mixed fresh cultivated mushrooms, sliced
2 cloves garlic, grated
1 tbsp ginger, grated
100ml hoisin sauce
1 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp rice vinegar and another 1 tbsp set aside
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 yellow bell pepper, sliced
1 small Mediterranean cucumber, julienned
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 spring onions, thinly sliced
Mixed sesame seeds, for garnish
Method
Slice out the core of the cabbage and then gently separate the leaves one at a time to land up with about 8 nicely sized cabbage cups.
Heat a drizzle of sesame oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat.
Sauté the mushrooms until tender and golden brown.
Add garlic and ginger and cook for a minute.
Pour in the hoisin, soy sauce, and rice vinegar.
Toss to coat well until the mushrooms are sticky and glossy with the sauce.
Remove from the heat.
Combine peppers and cucumbers in a bowl with a little pinch of salt and rice vinegar.
Toss to dress.
Place veg into the cabbage cups and then top with the hoisin mushrooms.
Finish with a sprinkle of spring onions and sesame seeds and enjoy!
∎ Recipe by the South African Mushroom Farmers' Association.