What is the best way to separate cabbage leaves for cabbage rolls. How to cook cabbage for cabbage rolls in the microwave? Simple and quick recipe. Cabbage cooking options
The first and main condition for branded cabbage rolls is correctly selected, cut and cooked cabbage until soft. Delicate, successful, neat cabbage rolls are obtained if the cabbage leaf is thin and transparent, but intact and moderately strong. From such leaves, the dish comes out not only amazingly tasty, but also beautiful, appetizing, and desirable.
Cabbage for cabbage rolls in the microwave, separate leaves
Preparing cabbage for cabbage rolls in the microwave is very effective. You can boil it until softened either in separate sheets or with a whole fork. You are lucky if you managed to disassemble the cabbage into leaves without heat treatment. This is not easy: the raw head is fragile, the leaves break and are difficult to separate from the stalk. You can make the task much easier by removing the stalk and placing the head of cabbage under a tap with a powerful stream of hot water.
Place whole leaves of the correct shape on a plate and place in the microwave oven for 5-7 minutes. As a result of this processing, you will receive white, almost transparent soft blanks for cabbage rolls. The thickenings on them can be trimmed with a sharp knife or gently beaten with a wooden mallet. This would be the best method, but the tight, raw forks of the late white cabbage beauty are difficult to take apart. Any doubts? Don't take risks, try warming it up entirely.
Whole head of cabbage for cabbage rolls in the microwave
Experts recommend: you need to choose a flattened head for this dish, not a round one. The flat cabbage leaf has a large leaf and the veins are thick but short. From such blanks it is easier to wrap cute, identical standard-sized cabbage rolls. The stalk of the flattened fork is wide and short and is easy to remove. The correct cabbage for cabbage rolls in the microwave for softening is prepared as follows:
- Remove the top “non-marketable” dark green layer from the purchased head of cabbage and wash the head of cabbage.
- Using four to five deep cuts, cut through the stalk and remove it.
- Place the forks inside the bowl and the bowl in the microwave.
- Turn on the stove at full power for 10-12 minutes.
- When ready to use, the cabbage should be soft. If this is not the case, another two or three minutes of processing will not hurt her.
- Place the cooked head of cabbage under running cold water.
- Take it apart. The cabbage leaves are then easy to separate.
This recipe does not always give the perfect result. As you remove layer by layer, you may notice that the sheets were not cooked evenly until softened. Some of them will seem too hard to you. Select the parts that require additional cooking, place them to reheat, setting the time on the timer for 2-3 minutes. To prepare the dish quickly, experienced housewives do not try to process the head of cabbage at one time, but boil it in stages.
How to make cabbage for cabbage rolls in the microwave in several steps
Cabbage for cabbage rolls in the microwave to soften can be prepared more than once, but this will only speed up the process of preparing your favorite dish. The secret is simple:
- Prepare the cabbage (wash thoroughly, remove the top layer, cut out the stalk).
- Place forks inside a deep microwave-safe dish.
- Boil without adding water, at full power, setting the timer for 5-6 minutes.
- Immediately place the hot cabbage under cold water. Easily separate 4-5 leaves that have been cooked until softened.
- Let the cabbage residue warm up again for the same 5-6 minutes.
- During this time, you will have time to cut off the thick veins and stuff the cabbage rolls with minced meat.
- Once heated again, immediately place under cold water, separate the soft layer and place in the oven again.
- When the fork runs out, almost all the leaves will be wrapped and ready for further cooking.
That's all the wisdom on how to prepare cabbage for cabbage rolls in the microwave. An excellent result will delight your loved ones if you choose the right fork, prepare it and carefully monitor the cooking time. Once you have prepared this dish using the microwave, you will never want to return to the traditional, complex boiling of a head of cabbage over a fire to soften it.
To quickly cut up cabbage for making cabbage rolls, you can use the microwave or place the cabbage under running water. Both of these options are available and do not require special skills.
Cabbage for cabbage rolls: how to quickly cut a head of cabbage
If you have a microwave at home or in the country, then you can prepare cabbage for cabbage rolls within a few minutes. To do this, you can use a household appliance of any power and capacity. The main thing is that the head of cabbage placed inside the equipment rotates freely when turned on.
To quickly cut cabbage for cabbage rolls, use the microwave
Step-by-step instructions:
- Before starting work, you need to cut the stem of the stalk and make notches along the base.
- Place the cabbage on a plate or in a bowl and microwave for 8-10 minutes, setting the oven to maximum power.
- After the process is completed, the dense leaves will be easily separated from the head of cabbage. If the procedure becomes more complicated, you should re-send the cabbage into the microwave oven.
Thus, within a minimum time, you can disassemble the head of cabbage into individual elements. If the finished semi-finished product turns out to be too tough for making cabbage rolls, place the stacked cabbage leaves in the microwave for about five minutes. After additional processing they will become soft and easy to roll.
How to cut cabbage for cabbage rolls without any tools
If it is not possible to use household appliances, you can use a simple option, which only requires access to running water:
- prepare the head of cabbage by cutting off the stalk and cutting the junction of the leaves with the base;
- place the cabbage under running water;
- feel the junction of the leaf with the stalk and slightly separate it from the head of cabbage, letting water inside;
- loosen the leaf until it separates.
In this case, water acts as a lubricant, separating the tight junction between the leaves. It will take no more than 2-3 seconds to separate one sheet.
Cabbage for cabbage rolls. How to properly prepare the leaves so that the cabbage rolls are tasty, juicy and moderately soft, and the cabbage does not turn out tough. In this article, you will learn all the methods for preparing cabbage to make the most delicious cabbage rolls.
1st method
Take a medium-sized head of cabbage, about 1-1.5 kg. , wash it, remove the bad leaves and wrap it in cling film in a few words.
Place the cabbage on the stalk in the microwave and turn it on for 10-12 minutes at medium power. The cabbage inside should become misty. Let it cool. Now cut out the stalk and start removing the leaves. Remove the leaves down; they should come off very easily and come out intact.
2nd method
Also in the microwave, but the cabbage is cooked a little differently there. Just wash the cabbage and put it on a plate and microwave it.
Turn on medium power, 5-7 minutes will be enough. Now remove the top soft leaves, microwave the cabbage again for a couple of minutes, remove the leaves. Do this until you remove all the leaves.
3rd method
Cut the stalk from the cabbage. and pour boiling water over it, add a pinch of citric acid or 0.5 tsp. vinegar (this will help keep the leaves firm enough and not tear when cooking).
Boil the cabbage for 1 minute. Then take it out and let it cool. Only then disassemble the leaves.
4th method
Pour water into a saucepan, let it boil, and lower a whole head of cabbage into the boiling water, after a couple of minutes we take it out and carefully remove a couple of leaves, which can be easily removed, lower the head of cabbage into the water again, and also separate the cabbage leaves. Repeat this process until all the leaves have been removed.
5th method. Double boiler.
The principle is the same as with a saucepan. Place the cabbage in the steamer for a couple of minutes, take it out, remove the leaves, and put it back into the steamer.
Properly preparing cabbage for cabbage rolls in the microwave will help you quickly, without damaging, separate the cabbage leaves and make them soft. If you boil it in water, the head of cabbage softens and the leaves begin to tear. Therefore, the microwave is the best option.
To make cabbage rolls, you need to correctly select, cut and soften the cabbage. The cabbage leaf should become thin and transparent, but at the same time intact and strong. Then the dish will turn out beautiful, appetizing, desirable.
This cabbage leaf will make excellent cabbage rolls.
Ingredients:
- head of cabbage.
It is necessary to choose a head of cabbage that is not round, but flattened. This type of cabbage has a large leaf with thick veins. Stuffed cabbage rolls from such leaves will turn out the same.
Preparation:
- Remove the top leaves from the head of cabbage that are damaged and dark green in color.
- Make five cuts, cut the stalk and remove it.
- Place forks in the bowl.
- Microwave.
- Set the maximum power.
- Set the time to 11 minutes.
- If the head of cabbage has become soft, you can proceed to further actions. If it remains firm, leave for another three minutes.
- Next, run the forks under cold water and separate them into leaves. After these manipulations, they will easily separate from each other.
A simple softening option in a bag
Cooking cabbage in the microwave for cabbage rolls without damaging or tearing the leaves is very easy in a bag.
- Remove soft green and damaged leaves. Harvest until clean and whole leaves appear.
- Cut off the protruding stalk; if it is short, you can leave it.
- Take a long, sharp knife. Making a cut around the stalk will help separate the leaves from the head. You should deepen the knife as far as you can, and cut the leaves only at the base.
- Place the head of cabbage in a bag.
- Select the maximum oven power.
- Microwave for five minutes.
- Get it. Remove the leaves, which come off easily. Use a fork to help.
- Place it back into the bag and put it in the microwave for the same amount of time.
- When the whole head of cabbage is sorted, collect them in one pile and put them in the microwave.
- Maximum power, time – five minutes.
- Thanks to this procedure, the leaves will be almost transparent and completely soft. Cool. Trim the veins of each leaf with a knife.
How to soften with individual leaves?
Many people love cabbage rolls, but don’t want to cook them. After all, it’s quite a problem to find a huge pan in which a head of cabbage will fit. Then there is a high probability of getting burned when taking it out of the water several times. Therefore, a microwave is suitable for a safe and quick method.
Before preparing cabbage rolls, you need to soften the cabbage.
So, to soften cabbage for cabbage rolls in the microwave, you need:
- Remove damaged leaves from the head of cabbage.
- Take a sharp knife, cut the stalk, separate the leaves.
- Sprinkle a heat-resistant dish with plain water and place cabbage leaves.
- Place in the microwave.
- Warm up at maximum temperature for a couple of minutes.
- Check the condition of the sheets. If they are too harsh, put them on for the same amount of time.
- When the vegetable is completely softened, trim off the thick veins.
How many minutes does it take to soften a whole head of cabbage?
A microwave can even help with this.
Place the washed cabbage without the top leaves in the microwave at maximum power and process for nine minutes. Then place under running ice water. Once cool, knead. If you feel that the head of cabbage has softened, you can separate the leaves. If still firm to the touch, place in the microwave for a couple more minutes.
5 filling options for delicious cabbage rolls
Once the leaves are prepared, the question is what kind of filling to wrap in the leaves? We offer the most delicious and proven options.
Base
This is the simplest and most common cooking option.
Ingredients:
- paprika – 0.5 teaspoon;
- onion – 270 g;
- salt – 0.5 teaspoon;
- minced beef – 470 g;
- raisins – 100 g;
- boiled rice - 0.5 cups.
Preparation:
- Chop the onion, this should be done very finely.
- Place in minced meat, season, add salt.
- Spread the rice and add the raisins. Mix.
- Stuff the leaves with the resulting filling.
Vegetarian
An ideal option for preparing a delicious dish on fasting days.
These cabbage rolls are ideal for eating during Lent.
Ingredients:
- parsley – 50 g;
- carrot – 1 pc.;
- salt;
- onion – 5 heads;
- celery – root;
- ground black pepper;
- butter – 2 tbsp. spoons.
Preparation:
- Peel the vegetables.
- Chop the carrots into strips, chop the onion, cut the celery into pieces.
- Place butter in a hot frying pan and melt. Place prepared foods.
- Add chopped greens to the frying, salt and sprinkle with pepper. Mix.
- Stuff the cabbage leaves with the resulting mixture.
Meat
To prepare a delicious filling, it is better to combine two types of meat.
Ingredients:
- beef – 300 g;
- pork – 300 g;
- salt;
- greens – 25 g;
- carrot – 1 pc.;
- spices;
- boiled rice – 400 g;
- bulb.
Preparation:
- Cut the prepared meat into pieces, chop the onion, and chop the ingredients. Mix with rice.
- Mix chopped greens with minced meat.
- Grate the carrots, fry in a frying pan, add to the minced meat.
- Salt and add spices. Stir.
How to prepare cabbage leaves for cabbage rolls?
To make it easy to wrap minced meat in cabbage leaves, they need to be doused with boiling water or boiled a little. For cabbage rolls, take a small, dense head of cabbage, you can put it whole in a pan and boil it for a little while for 10 minutes, then cool and separate it into individual leaves. You can remove the leaves from a whole head of cabbage, carefully cutting them at the stalk and then pour boiling water over it, close the lid, and leave for ten minutes. Thick veins must be cut off with a knife. To prevent the cabbage rolls from falling apart during cooking, you can tie them with a cotton thread, then remove the threads. The most delicious and tender cabbage rolls are obtained if you use Savoy cabbage instead of white cabbage.
We always use this method:
Place a whole head of cabbage in a large saucepan, fill it with cold water and add a tablespoon of vinegar, about 7-9%, then put it on the stove and cook at low boil for about 30 minutes. Next, cool the head of cabbage and separate it into leaves.
Stuffed cabbage rolls take approximately 45-60 minutes to prepare...
Cabbage leaves for cabbage rolls can be prepared in several ways.
By cooking. Take one and a half liters of water into a three-liter saucepan and bring it to a boil. Place a head of cabbage in boiling water for five to six minutes, then take it out, remove the top three or four leaves and put it back into the boiling liquid. Repeat this until all the leaves are removed.
You can place a head of cabbage in boiling water and, cover with a lid, cook for about ten minutes over low heat. Then carefully remove it and, after letting it cool, separate it into leaves.
You can, after disassembling a head of cabbage, put three or four leaves in boiling water for five minutes.
You can prepare the leaves using the oven. Cut the cabbage head into leaves and wrap each of them in foil. Preheat the oven to 170-180 degrees and, placing the wrapped leaves on a dry baking sheet, hold them there for about seven minutes.
You can also prepare the leaves in the microwave. Place a head of cabbage in a glass bowl and microwave at 800-900 W for five to six minutes. After this, immediately cool under running cold water, remove three or four leaves and repeat the procedure again until you have taken the head of cabbage apart.
You can also prepare cabbage leaves in the freezer. To do this, put the head of cabbage in a plastic bag, release excess air and put it in the freezer for a day. Then, without removing from the bag, defrost and disassemble into individual leaves.
And I do this: I take a head of cabbage and cut out its core and lower the head of cabbage into boiling water, after three to five minutes I remove the first soft leaves with a fork, then after the same time all the next ones and so on until the head of cabbage is finished. The cabbage rolls turn out soft and the preparation takes from 45 minutes to one hour.
To leaves for cabbage rolls were convenient to remove and use for wrapping, take a medium-sized head of cabbage. Place it in a saucepan and fill it with warm water to the edge. Bring the water to a boil and boil the head of cabbage for 10-15 minutes. Carefully remove the cabbage and cool under running cold water. Now take it apart into leaves; they come off quite easily. After this, wrap the filling in leaves and roll them into envelopes. Fill with water and salt to taste. Cook the cabbage rolls for 40-45 minutes over medium heat. To prevent them from accidentally burning, line the bottom of the pan with leftover cabbage leaves.
I prepare it by boiling the leaves in boiling water and beating all the thick stems with a hammer, after which I wrap the minced meat in the leaves. I don’t cook cabbage rolls, but stew them in a cast iron pan over medium heat with carrots and onions and a little odorless vegetable oil. Usually after boiling, simmer for 30-35 minutes and it’s ready.
Take medium-sized cabbage forks and place them in boiling water for a few minutes, from 10 to 15. You can first cut the stalk out of the fork, then all the cabbage leaves will cook faster and better.
After scalding the cabbage with boiling water, the cabbage is disassembled into separate sheets, the thick parts of the veins are cut off or beaten off so that the sheets are thinner and more elastic and roll well when the stuffed cabbage rolls themselves are formed.
I also put the head of cabbage in boiling water, keep it there for a few minutes, and then take it apart into leaves. In principle, almost everything is the same as everyone else, but before I do this, I cut out the stalk of the cabbage. It turns out to be a cabbage ball with a dimple. Then, after boiling, the cabbage is easier to disassemble into leaves, since their base becomes much softer.
Usually everyone does this, they simply scald the forks with boiling water and boil it a little, but just recently I read this interesting method, it turns out that cabbage leaves can be cooked using a microwave. Place the forks in the microwave and set to warm for 8-10 minutes. The leaves unfurl very well after this treatment.