To Boil Cabbage
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare
Remove the outer leaves of the cabbage and cut it into quarters, removing the stalk.
Wash the cabbage well in saltwater and soak for 30 minutes.
Drain the cabbage in a colander and shake off excess water.
Boil and serve
In a large saucepan, bring water to a boil and add salt and baking soda.
Add the cabbage, cover, and bring back to a boil.
Remove the lid and boil quickly, pressing the cabbage down into the water occasionally.
Cook for 15 to 20 minutes until soft; test with a fork.
Drain in a colander and press out excess water.
Transfer to a vegetable dish and cut into neat pieces.
Transcribed from a scanned cookbook and modernised for today's kitchens. Where the book gave no heat or time, or said "a moderate oven", the temperatures and times here may be modern equivalents rather than the book's own figures.
Explore the science
What each ingredient does
- Cabbage
- Forms the bulk of the dish and turns soft and tender when boiled.
- Baking soda
- Raises the water's alkalinity, which helps the cabbage soften and keeps its color bright.
The step that matters
Remove the lid and boil quickly. Cabbage contains acids that release during cooking; keeping the pan uncovered and boiling briskly lets volatile sulfur compounds escape, limiting strong odor and dull color.
“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.
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