Content

• Part 2 of 3: Storing the cabbage
• Part 3 of 3: Ideas for cabbage dishes
• Tips

1 Look for brightly colored cabbage. There are green and red cabbage. When choosing green cabbage, look for a vegetable that is bright, radiant, green in color, almost like a lime peel. Red cabbage, on the other hand, should be a rich, dark purple color.

2 Feel the outside of the cabbage to make sure it is firm. If the cabbage feels soft and viscous to the touch, rather than hard and dense, then it is most likely rotten inside. Use only cabbage that is firm and tough to the touch.

3 Examine the leaves carefully. When choosing a cabbage, look for one with only a few leaves behind the head of cabbage. If the cabbage as a whole looks uncovered, and many leaves are not pressed tightly enough against the core (center) of the cabbage, this vegetable may taste strange, with an odd leaf texture.

• Plus, you're looking for crispy, hard leaves, but not soft. Soft leaves are an indication that the cabbage is a little old, or has been damaged.

4 Avoid cabbage that shows signs of discoloration or decay. If the leaves are significantly damaged, or have a lot of spots and dark areas, you should not buy this cabbage. These characteristics are usually associated with the damage done by the worm.

5 Understand the difference between large and small cabbage heads. In general, larger cabbage tastes milder than smaller, compact cabbages. If you're new to the cabbage business, or want to train yourself to love cabbage, start with large heads of cabbage that won't knock you off your feet with their strong cabbage flavor.

• You should also keep in mind that cabbage harvested after frost will be sweeter than the one harvested in front of them. If you buy cabbage from a farmers' market, ask the seller if their farm has already been cold.

Part 2 of 3: Storing the cabbage

1. 1 The cabbage should remain intact until you decide to eat it. After you cut up the cabbage, it starts to lose vitamin C.
   • If you inevitably need to save half of the cabbage, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1-2 days.
2. 2 Store kale in a refrigerator container. Keeping the cabbage cold will help it retain its nutrients and crisp texture. Pre-fold it in a plastic bag. Excellent quality will last up to two weeks.
   • If you bought savoy cabbage, keep it in the refrigerator for no more than a week. After a week it should be consumed, otherwise it will start to deteriorate.
3. 3 Separate and discard the outer leaves before using the cabbage. This is especially important if some of the leaves have withered during transportation or storage. Rinse the leaves and use as collected. Enjoy!

Part 3 of 3: Ideas for cabbage dishes

1. 1 Try cabbage soup. Cabbage soup is not only healthy, it is also the center of new trends in dietary nutrition.
2. 2 Make stuffed cabbage for dinner. “Gołąbki” or “cabbage rolls” in Russian is a traditional Polish dish that will make you cry hura (Hurray in Polish).
3. 3 Try to make halva. Looking for something sweet? Don't go past the cabbage halva. Halva is a type of confectionery that is common in Central Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, India and the Balkans.
4. 4 Try some stewed cabbage. Braised cabbage is not only delicious, nutritious and vegan, it's also Russian! You should try it.
5. 5 Combine pork chops and red cabbage. These two ingredients are inseparable like salt and pepper, ketchup and mustard, Santa Claus and Snow Maiden.
6. 6 Make your own sauerkraut. Why settle for store-bought, processed sauerkraut when you can make your own from fresh cabbage?

Tips

• Cabbage can be used chopped or whole in salads, fried foods, and as part of sauces.