A stuffed cabbage roll is a dish consisting of cooked cabbage leaves wrapped around different kinds of fillings and commonly served in Europe, West Asia and China. It is a beloved home cooking dish probably due to the reason the cabbage is utilised when it’s in abundance. This cold-weather vegetable is economical yet nutritious.
What is Stuffed Cabbage?
In Europe, a stuffed cabbage usually uses meat fillings such as beef, lamb or pork seasoned with spices. Other than that, rice, barley, mushrooms, and vegetables are also included in the mixture.
People from southeastern Europe wrap the fillings using pickled cabbage leaves, while in Asia they use Chinese cabbage to wrap seafood, tofu and mushrooms.
Stuffed cabbages have different names in different cultures. Jewish call them “holishkls” and is served during the fall harvest festival. Bulgarians address them as “sarmi” made with veal, pork, finely chopped mint, sweet paprika and yoghurt.
In Romania “sarmale” is made with dill, ground pork and bacon on top when baked, while Ukrainian “holubtsi” is made with sauerkraut and served with perogie. The Czechs and Slovaks version is known as “hulubky” while in Serbs and Croatians it is known as “sarma.”
Lithuanians call theirs “balandeliai”, which translates to “little doves while Russian “golubtsy” means “little pigeons” and is served with sour cream. Other than that, Polish “golabki” pronounced “gaw-WOHMP-kee” means “little pigeon feet” and served with sauerkraut, and sweet paprika meanwhile in Finland it is known as “kaalikaaryle”, and the cabbage rolls are browned before brazing.
History of Stuffed Cabbage Roll
The history of stuffed cabbage rolls can be traced back to when Charles XII from Sweden brought this dish to Scandinavia from the middle east after he was exiled from there. The intermediate eastern version of this dish was named kaalikaarryle, which is made from rice and chopped meat rolled in cabbage leaves.
It is then covered in fat before cooking on the stove, then served with gravy, potatoes and lingonberry jam. The term “golubtsy” then came to Russia and its nearby region in the 18th century, when it is time the aristocracy travelled back and forth all across Europe.
A pigeon was also wrapped and cooked in cabbage leaves in France. Therefore the stuffed cabbage rolls were also known as “golubtsy” due to the resemblance of the dish. This dish was then spread all across Europe with different kinds of names according to what it resembled until the end of the Victorian period.
Types of Stuffed Cabbage
The stuffed cabbages are then steamed, baked or simmered in the sauce which varies across different continents. In Sweden and Finland, they serve this dish together with lingonberry jam while in Eastern Europe, plain sour cream or tomato-based sauce are used.
While in Lebanon they only stuff meat and rice in the roll, serving it with yoghurt together with lemon and olive oil vinaigrette seasoned with garlic and dried mint. In Japan, they will simmer the rolls in tomato-based soup or a wafu soup base with dashi broth and wrap a slice of bacon around it.
The version of this dish is different in the culture of Jews, where this dish is known as holishkes. Their recipes depend on the region, where Romanians and northern Poles prefer a savoury sauce, while Galicia and Ukraine favour sweet-and-sour.
To make sure the rolls have enough moisture, one should not use the outermost leaves of the cabbage. The meat mixture can be rested in the fridge for 30 minutes to solidify the fat and keep the meat juicy.
This ensures that the juice will seal in and enhance the flavour of the stuffed cabbage roll.
Where to Find Stuffed Cabbage in Malaysia
Stuffed cabbage can be found in most European restaurants in Malaysia. Find out more about European Cuisine on foodpanda.
