Czech Sweet and Sour Cabbage

The best accompaniment to a succulent pork roast is without doubt bread dumplings and a nice scoop of sweet and sour cabbage. Today I would like to show you a popular Czech recipe for stewed green cabbage made from the fresh head.

Czech sweet and sour cabbage is a simple side dish loved by all Czechs. It is served as part of the main meal, for example, the famous Czech dish called 'knedlo zelo vepro'.

Stewed cabbage made in a sweet and sour style appears quite often in Czech cuisine. In addition to green cabbage, you will also find tangy stewed sauerkraut with crunchy bacon or braised red cabbage on the Czech plate.

➜ Green or red cabbage?

You may be wondering which cabbage is best for this recipe. In principle, both types of cabbage can be used.

On the other hand, red cabbage is more suitable as a side dish for venison or poultry, such as this great roasted duck. In turn, sweet and sour green or white cabbage goes well with juicy pork roasts.

➜ How much cabbage do I need?

If you plan to make cabbage as a side dish for a large group of people, it is helpful to know how much cabbage to prepare.

Count on two ounces of fresh cabbage to make a side dish for about six people. Or vice versa: For one serving of the braised side dish, you need about 6 ounces (170 g) of fresh cabbage.

➜ Ingredients

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Quick instructions:

1. Clean the cabbage and shred it.
2. Fry the onion in the fat over medium heat until golden.
3. Season with the caraway seeds, and fry for 30 seconds.
4. Add the cabbage, and cover with a ladleful of water.
5. Season with salt and let simmer under a lid for 30-40 minutes.
6. Dust with flour and simmer for another 10 minutes.
7. Season with sugar and vinegar and salt if necessary. Stir well.

➜ Detailed instructions with photos

STEP 1: Cleaning and preparing cabbage: Remove any wilted or damaged outer leaves of the head of cabbage. Cut the cabbage in half. Locate the cabbage's stem, also known as the core. Cut an angle into the core where the stem meets the cabbage leaves and remove it from each half. The triangular core should always be removed with a chef's knife.

STEP 2: Shredding cabbage head: Simply cut the cabbage into thin strips with a chef's knife and further cut them in half to get manageable bites. Another way to shred cabbage is to use a hand box grater. Shred the cabbage on the side with the large holes, pressing the portion of the cabbage firmly against the holes with the palm of your hand and forcefully sliding it down.

STEP 3: The cabbage needs to be scalded first. This will remove the pungent taste from the cabbage; it will also soften a little and become tender. Boil a kettle full of water. Put the cabbage in a large colander and gently scald with boiling water. I steam twice, each time with about ⅓ gal (1.3 L) of water, which is the capacity of my kettle.

STEP 4: Heat the lard or sunflower oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Throw in the chopped onions and fry until they turn golden. Stir frequently. Add the caraway seeds to the onions and fry for a further minute.

STEP 5: Add the shredded cabbage and a teaspoon of salt. Stir well. Pour in a ladle of water, turn the heat down to a third and cover the pot with a lid. Let simmer for 30-40 minutes.

STEP 6: Thickening the cabbage: Take a small sieve and flour. Place a spoonful of flour in the sieve and sprinkle it lightly over the entire surface of the cabbage. Do not stir or shake the cabbage. Simply cover with a lid and let the flour steam for five minutes. Then stir, cover again and leave to simmer for a further five minutes.

STEP 7: The perfect flavoring of cabbage: This is where your taste preferences come in. Add about ⅔ of the vinegar and sugar to the cabbage from the amount in the recipe. Add salt, stir and taste. Gradually add vinegar, sugar, or salt until you reach the desired taste. Stir well each time.

➜ Serving

According to this recipe, stewed sweet and sour cabbage pairs greatly with roast pork or smoked meat. Serve with either bread dumplings or potato dumplings.

MY TIP: Try a similar Czech recipe, creamy sweet and sour red cabbage!

➜ Storage

If you have leftover cabbage, let it cool completely, transfer the cabbage to an airtight container, and store it in the fridge. The dish will keep for up to five days.

➜ Useful tips

• The finer you shred the cabbage, the less time it will take to cook. Thin cabbage strips are ready in half an hour, while wider strips take about ten minutes longer.
• Instead of scalding the cabbage with boiling water, boil it in water for about 10 minutes.
• Note to thicken cabbage with flour: I got the trick of thickening with flour using a sieve from my mom. A thin layer of flour will cook through the hot steam and help prevent the lumps that would form if you simply poured the flour into the cabbage.

More Czech recipes:

• Bohemian beef noodle soup
• Garlic roasted rabbit
• Easy kolacky cookies
• Fried cabbage and noodles (haluski)
• Vinegar based coleslaw
• Braised kohlrabi recipe