Crispy Cabbage
This recipe dispels the myth that cabbage is tasteless and soggy, the crisp saltiness of the cabbage marries well with anything from a roast dinner to a Chinese dish.
Overview
Crispy cabbage is a simple but satisfying deep-fried side dish that transforms savoy cabbage into light, golden, salted morsels with a satisfying crunch. Using a mix of outer and inner leaves creates a pleasing range of colour and texture, proving that cabbage can be far from tasteless or soggy.
Ingredients
- ½ savoy cabbage
- oil (for deep frying)
- salt
Method
- Cut the cabbage into three wedges, removing the core.
- It is important to use the outside leaves, as well as the inner leaves for a good contrast in colours from light to deep green.
- Heat the oil to 180°C.
- Add the cabbage to the pan, and immediately place the lid on the pan to stop the oil from spitting.
- Once the 'crackling' sound has stopped, the cabbage should be ready with just a little colouring around the edges.
- Drain off all the excess fat on kitchen paper, and lightly salt.
- Serve at once.
Notes
- Always place the lid on the pan immediately after adding the cabbage, the high water content causes the oil to spit vigorously.
- Listen for the crackling sound to subside as the cue that the cabbage is ready; this indicates the surface moisture has cooked off.
- Use a mix of outer dark-green leaves and paler inner leaves for the best contrast of colour and texture.
- Salt lightly straight after draining while the cabbage is still hot so the seasoning adheres well.
Serving
Serve with: roast dinners, Chinese-style dishes, grilled meats, or as a stand-alone crispy snack Temperature: hot, served immediately after frying Amount: a generous handful per person as a side
Storage
- Best eaten immediately, the cabbage loses its crispiness quickly once cooked.
- Not suitable for refrigerating or reheating as the texture will become limp.
It is important that when frying the cabbage to place a lid on the pan, as the high water content in the cabbage will cause the oil to spit.
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