You will be surprised that a dish so homely and so rustic can be so delicious; I thought all along that cumin was a spice suited to chicken or fish, but if you are vegan, you will love how well cabbage showcases cumin!
If you have leftover cabbage, shred it and fry it with the onion and add a handful of rice; once the rice is cooked, add the cumin and mix gently to combine. A delight! Cabbage here is so mild-tasting and delicate and the addition of cumin kicks it up, just not too much!
INGREDIENTS: 4 servings as a side dish
- 1 onion, chopped
- 3 cups of shredded cabbage (previously blanched in several cups of salty water)
- salt, pepper
- 1 tsp of cumin
- 3/4 cup of rice (Italian, medium-grain, sushi, Egyptian)
- 1/4 cup of olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves, skin on
METHOD:
- Heat a couple of tablespoons of olive oil (or any oil) and fry the onion and garlic cloves till translucent and the cloves are soft; add the cabbage and fry as well for a few more minutes over gentle heat. Add the rice and fry, adding the extra tablespoon of oil and the spices (salt, pepper); add 2 cups of water (or chicken stock), cover and bring the mixture to a boil; lower the heat and simmer gently for about twenty minutes.
- Uncover the pot, add the cumin, toss and serve.
NOTE: Use a cabbage that has been already steamed or blanched in a pot full of salted boiling water; boil or steam the cabbage for no more than 5 minutes until tender but still firm.
This dish is traditionally served with a cabbage salad dressed with lemon, garlic and olive oil with a sprinkle of powdered mint.
In the above scene, Saideh, a Lebanese seasoned farmer, is watering her field the old-fashioned way by diverting the waters to her section with this metal stopper.
7 Comments
I adore the the cabbage leaf used to contain the pilaf, easy and clever!
very intriguing with the cumin..whats the dish called in arabic in english letters?and what do you serve it with traditionally? thank you
@Maria: I was told the dish is Syrian in origin; don’t have a specific name for you yet, except malfouf wroz (cabbage and rice). It is just a side dish that could go with grilled meats or just plain with some baba ghannouj or something else like that.
The simple combination of cabbage, onions, rice and cumin sounds sublime.
We make lachanorizo in Greece too! With different spices but the idea is the same! I love it!
I love cabbage! Love it! And this dish sounds like something I’d be so happy to eat as is or with that fabulous dressing. I must try this. My husband used to cook cabbage fairly often but now we only have it as choucroute and then we purchase it ready to warm. I have to try this.
I love cabbage and I can imagine that this would be lovely with cumin. And the cabbage leaf is just perfect. What a great presentation. I love it.