Content

• Ingredients
• Steps
• Part 1 of 3: Preparing the cabbage
• Part 2 of 3: Cooking the steamed cabbage on the oven
• Part 3 of 3: Microwave steamed cabbage
• What do you need

Steaming cabbage is quick and easy and saves many vitamins and nutrients. Steamed cabbage can be cooked in chopped or wedges, on the stovetop or in the microwave. Read on to learn more about each method.

Ingredients

For 6 - 8 servings

• 1 head of cabbage
• Water
• Salt
• Black pepper (optional)
• Butter or olive oil (optional)
• Apple cider vinegar (optional)

Steps

Part 1 of 3: Preparing the cabbage

1. 1 Choose fresh, crispy cabbage. Regardless of the cultivar, fresh cabbage has crisp leaves without any spots or signs of browning. There should not be many loose outer leaves and the stem should not appear dry or cracked.
   • Green cabbage should have dark green outer leaves and pale green inner leaves. The head of the cabbage should be round.
   • Red cabbage should have tough outer leaves and a reddish purple color. The head of the cabbage should be round.
   • Savoy cabbage has corrugated leaves and is composed of several layers that range in color from dark to light green. The head of the cabbage should be round.
   • Peking cabbage is elongated rather than round, and generally has pale green leaves.
   • Pak Choi has tall white stems with dark green leaves.
2. 2 Remove damaged leaves. These leaves should be wide enough to be cleaned with your hands.
   • All drooping and damaged leaves should be removed. For round heads like kale, red cabbage, and savoy cabbage, you should also remove the thickest outer leaves.
3. 3 Cut the cabbage into halves or quarters. Cut the cabbage in half. Take a large, sharp knife and cut the cabbage in half to the end of the stem. If desired, cut the cabbage further into quarters by cutting each half lengthwise.
   • Cabbage will take longer to cook if left in halves, so it will be easier and faster to cook it in smaller pieces.
   • If you see any signs of insects or worms inside the cabbage, you don't have to drop everything because the cabbage is unusable. Instead, soak the head of cabbage in plenty of well-salted water for 20 minutes. Cut off the damaged areas and prepare the cabbage as usual.
4. 4 Remove the core. Cut out wedge-shaped sections at the bottom of each half or quarter to remove rough stems.
   • The stems will need to be cut at an angle.
   • Note that on long cabbages such as Peking and Chinese cabbage, the leaves on the stem must be left intact.
5. 5 Chop the cabbage if necessary. If you want to cook shredded cabbage, cut each wedge into thin, fine strips before cooking.
   • In addition, you can shred cabbage using a special grater attachment.
   • To chop Chinese cabbage or Chinese cabbage, cut the cabbage crosswise, not lengthwise.
6. 6 Wash the cabbage. Place the cabbage in a colander and rinse it under cool tap water.
   • Place the colander on clean paper towels and let the water drain for a few minutes before continuing.

Part 2 of 3: Cooking the steamed cabbage on the oven

1. 1 Boil water in a saucepan. Place a smaller grate saucepan on top of the pot of water, but be careful not to let the bottom of the pot come into contact with the water.
   • The pot should be 1/4 full of water, if not less.
   • After placing the saucepan on the stove, heat it over high heat to create a rapid boil.
   • You can add salt to the water, if desired, this will give the cabbage a subtle flavor.Do not do this if you plan to salt the cabbage directly.
   • Make sure that the bottom of the wire rack does not come into contact with water. If the boiling water reaches the bottom of the saucepan, you will end up with boiled cabbage from the bottom, not steamed cabbage.
   • If you do not have a grate pot, you can use a metal or wire strainer. Just make sure the colander can sit on the pot without falling and with a lid.
2. 2 Place the prepared cabbage in a steam saucepan. Spread the cabbage in an even layer.
   • If you are cooking shredded cabbage, you need to make sure that all the cabbage is evenly distributed over the bottom.
   • If you are cooking quarters or halves, distribute the slices so that they are cut down. Each piece should evenly touch the bottom of the saucepan.
3. 3 Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the leaves with salt and pepper, if desired, to add flavor to the cabbage during cooking.
   • Use about 1 tsp. (5 ml) salt and 1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) ground black pepper, or season to taste.
   • At this point, you should not add oil or sauce to the cabbage. Only dry seasonings such as salt and pepper are allowed.
4. 4 Cover and cook until the cabbage is crispy. The exact cooking time will depend on the type of cabbage and how finely it has been cut.
   • To speed up the cooking time, you can turn the cabbage halfway through the cooking time. However, you shouldn't lift the pot lid for too long. This will release the steam needed to cook the cabbage.
   • In general, shredded cabbage takes 5 to 8 minutes to cook. Peking cabbage, savoy cabbage and Chinese cabbage can be cooked for no more than 3 to 5 minutes.
   • In general, quarters should be cooked in 10 to 12 minutes. Long cabbage like Peking cabbage and Chinese cabbage tend to cook faster. Savoy cabbage can be cooked in 5 to 10 minutes. Red cabbage takes a little longer to cook than other varieties.
   • If you are cooking cabbage halves, then add another 1-2 minutes to the total time.
5. 5 Serve hot. Remove the saucepan with the cabbage and let it drain on paper towels for a few minutes before serving.
   • If desired, you can add salt and pepper to the cabbage, or drizzle with melted butter or olive oil. Shake the cabbage lightly to mix thoroughly.
   • For a stronger flavor, drizzle with 2 to 3 tablespoons (30 to 45 ml) of apple cider vinegar and shake gently to combine. It works especially well with Chinese cabbage and red cabbage.

Part 3 of 3: Microwave steamed cabbage

1. 1 Place the cabbage in a microwave-safe dish. Arrange the cabbage pieces so that the root touches the bottom.
   • If you are cooking shredded kale, spread it evenly over the entire bottom. The cabbage should not fit snugly and be tamped down, as it will cook worse.
   • Remember that shredded cabbage is not recommended to be cooked in the microwave, as the bottom layer will in any case be boiled, not steamed.
   • If you are cooking kale quarters and halves, place them with the root side down.
2. 2 Add 2 to 3 cups (30 to 45 ml) water. The water level at the bottom of the plate should be very low.
   • If you are making shredded cabbage, use about 1/4 cup (60 ml) water for every 2 cups (500 ml) shredded cabbage. Too much water can cause the bottom of the cabbage to cook and the top to be steamed, making it unevenly cooked.
   • To enhance the aroma, you can use the decoction instead of water. Vegetable broth is the best option, but light chicken broth may work as well.
3. 3 Cover. If your microwave dish has a lid, use it. If not, use cling film or foil.
   • Do not close tightly.If the dish has a lid, place it slightly obliquely to prevent too much pressure from creating steam.
   • Do not pierce the plastic wrap. Instead, just cover the dish tightly, but not on all sides.
   • If you don't have a lid and no cling film, then you can use an ordinary plate, turned upside down.
4. 4 The degree of cookiness of the cabbage in the microwave is the appearance of a crispy crust. The exact amount of time will vary depending on the power of the microwave, the size of the cabbage chunks, and the type of cabbage you are using.
   • The wedges will be ready in 5 to 6 minutes. Chinese cabbage can be cooked in 4 to 5 minutes.
   • For chopped cabbage, 5 minutes will be enough. Stop halfway through, stir gently with a fork and set until tender.
5. 5 Serve hot. Let the cabbage drain in a colander on paper towels and serve hot.
   • Season with salt and pepper as desired, drizzle with a few drops of butter or olive oil. Shake gently to distribute the seasoning evenly.
   • For a stronger flavor, drizzle 2-3 tbsp. (30 to 45 ml) apple cider vinegar, shake gently. This is especially suitable for Chinese cabbage and red cabbage.

What do you need

• Sharp kitchen knife
• Cutting board
• Colander
• Pan
• Saucepan with wire mesh bottom or metal colander
• Microwave dish
• Cling film or lid
• Forceps
• Dish