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.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Czech

Keyword Cabbage recipes

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 40

Total Time 50

Servings

Calories 117kcal

Author Petra Kupská

Ingredients

2 pounds green cabbage fresh head
1 and ½ Tablespoons lard or sunflower oil
1 onion
1 Tablespoon caraway seeds
1 laddle water
1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour for thickening
4 Tablespoons granulated sugar
4 Tablespoons white wine vinegar
3 teaspoons salt

Instructions

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.
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 easy way to shred cabbage is to use a hand box grater.
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.
Heat the lard or sunflower oil over medium heat in a large skillet. 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.
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 40 minutes.
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.
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.

Notes

Makes about 6 portions of braised cabbage as a side dish.
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.
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.
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.

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