Cabbage soup is one of the delicious foods with high levels of fiber, vitamins, essential minerals… With this ingredient, you can make delicious dishes such as stir-fried cabbage with beef, stir-fried cabbage with shrimp, pork rib cabbage soup, potato salad with cabbage… However, the simplest and most popular dish is still boiled cabbage soup.
1. Ingredients for boiled cabbage soup
– Cabbage: 1 head
– Seasoning: Salt
2. Steps to make boiled cabbage soup
Step 1: Prepare the ingredients
– After buying cabbage, cut it into bite-sized pieces or use your hands to separate it into small portions. To ensure even cooking, it is recommended to cut them into small, evenly sized pieces.
– Then, take a bowl of rice water and add a little salt, soak the cabbage in it for about 10 to 15 minutes. This is because rice water is acidic and can help remove any remaining plant protective substances in the vegetables. Moreover, salt can help you clean off dirt and any insect eggs that may have adhered to the cabbage leaves.
– After that, rinse the cabbage with clean water 2 to 3 times to completely clean the vegetables and ensure food safety during cooking.
Step 3: Boil the cabbage
– Place a pot of water on the stove, add 1 teaspoon of salt and bring it to a boil.
– When the water is boiling, add the green cabbage to the pot. To preserve the vibrant green color and the natural crispness of the cabbage, it is recommended not to cover the pot and boil it for about 2 to 3 minutes. During the boiling process, turn the cabbage a few times to ensure even cooking without breaking it up.
– Then, remove the cabbage from the pot and arrange it on a plate for serving.
With this method of boiling cabbage, you will have a plate of crispy, delicious, and visually appealing vegetables while preserving the nutritional content. Typically, medium-sized cabbage only needs to be boiled for about 3 minutes. If it is larger, you can wait an additional 30 seconds or 1 minute. On the other hand, small cabbage can be removed from the pot after boiling for about 2 minutes.
In particular, cabbage cooks quickly, so you don’t need to boil it for too long as it will turn yellowish and slightly mushy.
3. Tips for choosing good cabbage
Here are some ways you can choose cabbage:
Based on the harvesting season
Cabbage is best when purchased in the correct season, so you should remember the harvest time for green cabbage and white cabbage:
– Green cabbage is mainly harvested from late July to late October.
– The best time to harvest white cabbage is from mid-December to mid-April of the following year.
Based on color
Observing the color of cabbage is the simplest way to determine whether it is fresh or not. Fresh cabbage usually has a uniform color and bright appearance. For green cabbage, the darker the color and the more fragrant the smell, the more tender it will be. You should avoid cabbage with uneven color, blotches, and yellowing flowers.
Based on size and shape
You should choose intact, undamaged cabbage without bruises or cracks. In addition, cabbage with firm leaves, compact size, and fresh appearance will often taste sweeter.