Cabbage Spring Rolls

Recipe: Cabbage Spring Rolls

INGREDIENTS 

• 1 pound of ground turkey (or ground meat of your choice; you may mix with fish or shrimp paste if desired)  

• 1 head Savoy cabbage or Napa cabbage 

• 1 large egg

• 2 finely chopped or shredded carrots (1 cup)

• 2 stalks finely chopped celery (3/4 cup)

• 1 stalk finely chopped green onion 

• 1 teaspoon grated ginger

• 2 cloves grated garlic

• 1 tablespoon sesame oil 

• 2 tablespoons soy sauce 

• 1 tablespoon oyster sauce 

• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt or kosher salt 

• 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper  

• 1/2 cup ice 

 

O

Instruction 

1. Combine all the above ingredients (except for the cabbage and ice) in a bowl and mix well. Set aside. 

2. Remove 8 outer leaves from cabbage. Make a cut through each individual leaf at the base where it attaches to the core. Trim out the the woody stem area from the leaf for easy assembling later.  

3. In a large bowl, combine 6 cups of water with ice. Set aside, next to the pot where you will be blanching your cabbage leaves later. 

4. In a medium pot, bring 3 cups water to boiling. Carefully add cabbage leaves to boiling water, lightly blanch for 20 seconds or until leaves turn just wilted. Remember do not overcook them.  To avoid leaves continue to cook through heat after blanching, cool quickly by plunging them in ice water. Remove leaves from water after a minute, lay them flat in kitchen towel, let dry.

5. Assemble rolls on a clean cutting board, take a blanched cabbage leaf, lay it flat with base end toward you. Near the end of the leaf, place 2 tablespoons of filling mixture on the leaf. 

6. Roll the base end over the filling. Fold both left and right side over to cover the opening on the edges. Continue rolling toward the end, wrapping tightly with care to avoid tearing. Place finished roll on a dish or pan (Preferably a dish/pan that is around 1 1/2 to 2 inches deep to capture the meat juice from steaming) with the end tucked under the roll, seam side down. Repeat with remaining leaves and fillings. 

7. In a steamer or a deep saucepan, bring 4 cups of water to boil. Place the dish/pan filled with cabbage rolls in, covered and steam for 10 - 12 minutes. Remove from steamer once cooked and serve immediately.  

To serve, you may cut each roll in half crosswise on a diagonal.  Serve with soy sauce, hoisin sauce or chili sauce.