Mindfulness in the city: Cabbage rolls for comfort

February10, 2023

Vegan and gluten-free cabbage rolls from my book, “The Accidental Chef: Lessons Learned in and out of the Kitchen.” Photo courtesy: Caroline Ishii.

Casserole of cabbage rolls — gluten-free and vegan

For many Canadians, cabbage rolls bring back memories of holiday meals and comfort food, especially in the colder months. Cabbage rolls are common to the cuisines of Central, Northern, Eastern, and Southeastern Europe.

When immigrants came from these countries to Canada, they brought many delicious recipes, including their version of cabbage rolls.

But much of Western Asia, Northern China, and parts of North Africa have their own take on cabbage rolls, making it a truly multicultural dish. As a result, it’s been difficult to confirm the origin of the cabbage rolls, and multiple groups of people may have invented it at the same time some 2,000 years ago.

While living in Japan, I was surprised that cabbage rolls are also a popular comfort food in the winter.

According to a Japanese recipe website, Japanese households have enjoyed cabbage rolls since 1895, when the women’s magazine, Jokan, introduced a recipe for cabbage rolls using western green cabbage leaves. It soon became a staple of households as a western-style dish or yoshoku.

Western produce, such as celery, carrots, tomatoes, and green cabbage, was first grown in Japan for Western visitors in or near port towns in the 1850s, such as Yokohama, which opened to foreign ships in 1859. And today, green cabbage is Japan’s third most-consumed vegetable, according to Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare (2017), following daikon radish and onions.

What about napa?

Originating in China, napa cabbage, called hakusai in Japanese, has been an essential ingredient in Japanese cuisine since the 15th century. In Japan, when I referred to hakusai as napa, as I do in Canada, it often resulted in confused looks because “ napa “ is the Japanese term for leaf or leaves.

My aunts Helen and Betty in Toronto loved cabbage rolls and used to prepare their version of cabbage rolls, placed among the Japanese dishes at family gatherings.

I thought this slightly odd at the time, but now understanding the history of cabbage rolls in Japan, this makes sense. Also, the dish combined their love of gardening, using fresh cabbage and tomatoes from their gardens, with their love of cooking and sharing food with others. And this always made sense.

I’m sharing my vegan version of cabbage rolls.

The recipe uses tempeh, which is made from fermented soybeans formed into a block. Tempeh differs from tofu, which is made from soy milk that is curdled and pressed.

Tempeh originated in Indonesia and is used in many dishes there. With a high protein content and many vitamins and minerals, it’s usually found in the freezer or refrigerated section of natural food or grocery stores and can be used like ground meat. However, because of its slightly bitter taste, it is best baked in a sauce before use or combined in strongly-flavored dishes.

You can replace the tempeh in the recipe with other plant-based products like veggie ground round, a popular ready-to-use product for your dishes found in the refrigerated section of most supermarkets. However, it is often not gluten-free, containing wheat and other ingredients.

Cabbage rolls provide comfort to people worldwide. Sharing them with family and friends brings us closer together, and some respite in hard times.

Cabbage Rolls (vegan and gluten-free)

Yield: About eighteen rolls.

Tomato Sauce:
2 cans (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons unrefined sugar
½ cup red wine
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

To make the tomato sauce:

Cabbage Rolls:
1 large head cabbage or 2 medium heads cabbage
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups onion, finely diced (about 2 medium onions)
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon chili flakes (more for more heat)
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 pack of tempeh (24-ounce), coarsely grated
1½ cups carrots, coarsely grated
1½ cups short-grain brown rice
1 tablespoon gluten-free tamari or soy sauce
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon maple syrup

To make the filling:

1. Put the tomatoes and red wine in a pot over medium heat. Bring to a boil and then simmer for twenty minutes.
2. Near the end, add the vinegar and sugar and simmer, stirring for a few minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

To prepare the cabbage rolls:

1. Heat oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook until caramelized, about 20 minutes.
2. Add the garlic and spices and stir for a few minutes. Stir in the tempeh and cook for a few minutes. Then, add the carrots and rice.
3. First, core the cabbage with a sharp paring knife. Bring to boil a large pot with water. Carefully place the cored cabbage in hot water.
4. Using tongs, gently transfer the outer leaves of the cabbage to a colander as they blanch and come off easily when ready.
5. Rinse the leaves with cold water. Lay on towels to dry. Then lay the cabbage leaves, rib side down, on a flat surface. Run a rolling pin over them to crush the spine.
6. Spoon about ¼ cup or more of the filling onto each leaf, just above the stem. Fold the end and sides over the filling and roll up. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.
7. Place the finished rolls, seam side down, in a baking dish with a layer of sauce and cabbage leaves (use leaves that don’t work for rolling) at the bottom.
8. Pour the remaining tomato sauce over the rolls, ideally halfway up the side, and cover tightly with aluminum foil.
9. Bake in a 350 F oven for about one and a half hours until the leaves have softened. Remove from the oven and let sit for 15 minutes before serving.

Serve the cabbage rolls with sour cream on top or the side. It tastes even better the next day and when shared with others!

Originally published at http://nikkeivoice.ca on January 26, 2023.