Why is red cabbage spicy?

By cutting, crushing or biting into these cruciferous heads, a series of enzymatic reactions is triggered that causes the glucosinolates to break down into allyl isothiocyanate, another volatile compound that gives these Brassicas their fresh vegetal, cabbage-like scent and slightly bitter, peppery bite.

Why It Works. Roasting at very high heat helps bring out the cabbage's sweet, nutty flavors . Cutting the cabbage into fat wedges creates maximum textural contrast between the lightly charred exterior and tender interior.

Can cabbage lower blood pressure?

The antioxidants in cabbage help reduce inflammation, which is linked to heart disease. Cabbage also contains something called anthocyanins. Several studies have found these compounds can lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke.

How do you get the bitter taste out of red cabbage?

One way to make raw cabbage less bitter, and therefore more palatable, is to let it marinate in something salty or acidic for a while .

Why do Chinese love cabbage?

It's a treasured staple in parts of China That's because it's a hearty vegetable that keeps for a long time : even when the outer leaves wither, the inner leaves are still good. It's also versatile and can be cooked in myriad ways, from stir-fry to dumpling filling to hotpot.

Is red cabbage supposed to be spicy?

Red cabbage has a bolder, more peppery , and almost floral flavor as compared with regular green cabbage, which is milder and more vegetal. Cooking it tends to mellow the flavors, and it can also bring out sweet notes as well.

Is it normal for cabbage to be spicy?

Despite its pungent aroma when cooked, a cabbage's flavor can range from naturally sweet to lightly spicy . It stands up to a wide range of preparation, food and flavorings. In addition to the common smooth green cabbage, Savoy cabbage has wrinkled green leaves and red cabbage has dark, almost purple, smooth leaves.

Is raw red cabbage spicy?

When enjoyed raw, red cabbage offers a crisp, slightly peppery kick that's refreshingly cool on the palate.

Why does cabbage sting my tongue?

Fruits, vegetables and nuts can cause oral allergy syndrome . They have proteins that look similar to pollen proteins, so your body reacts the same way it would to a tree, grass or plant allergen.

Grilled Cabbage With Spicy Thai Dressing Recipe (2024)

Why It Works

Cutting the cabbage into wedges with the root intact helps it hold together on the grill.
Charring adds sweetness and nutty depth to the cabbage.
Very high heat allows you to char the cabbage while retaining plenty of fresh crunch in the interior.

It seems like every year, the internet has a new darling brassica. You all remember back in 2010, when it seemed like the entire world had just discovered Brussels sprouts for the first time, right? Or maybe the year after, when it was kale in everything from pizzas to smoothies? Of course, who can forget the year of charred broccoli.

Grilled Cabbage With Spicy Thai Dressing Recipe (1)

What gives? I'm guessing it's because everyone goes through a similar thought process to mine each year around the time fall vegetables begin to dominate the farmers' markets:Charred Brussels sprouts are so damn awesome, I wonder if there are other, similar vegetables that I can char to get the same effect?It turns out the answer is yes: Pretty muchanybrassica will get nice and sweet and nutty when exposed to extremely high heat, and the simplest of them all, the basic green cabbage, is no exception.

In 2014, I had aTwitter conversationwith local vegetarian pizza nerdKelly Bone, in which she very astutely pointed out that cabbage was becoming the new kale. And she was right. At least, I did everything in my power to make sure she was right. Then and now, I believe that all it takes to convince people of the merits of cabbage is to cajole them to go into their backyards, throw some cabbages on the grill, and feed them to friends. Word of their deliciousness will spread. I'm sure of it.

As with other brassicas, the only real key is extreme high heat. I build atwo-level firewith a full chimney of coal piled under half of the grill grate, leaving the other half empty.

The best way I've found to grill cabbage is to cut it into big fat wedges, leaving the core intact. This helps to keep all the leaves stuck together as it grills, and it gives you plenty of surface area for charring.

The goal here is to char the exterior (make sure to hit those wedges on all three surfaces!) while gently softening the interior, leaving a bit of raw crunch at the very center. To get there, I finish the cabbage off on the cooler side of the grill.

Once it's cooked, I toss the cabbage wedges with some olive oil, salt, and pepper. You'll find that they're pretty darn delicious even on their own. That smoky flavor penetrates deep into the layers, with a great contrast between the nutty sweetness of the charred exterior and the fresh crunch of the center.

It's a flavor and texture that lends itself to a wide variety of dressings or sauces, so I threw together several versions. My favorite by far: a Thai-inspired sauce similar tojaew, made with fish sauce, dried chiles, lime juice, garlic, sugar, and a ton of herbs. (For my other takes on grilled cabbage, find recipes listed in the Read More section below.)

In all honesty, it doesn't really matter which dressing or sauce you choose, because the grilled cabbage is so good that you're gonna get a chance to try the other ones very soon anyway. Your friends and family will demand it.

And if you don't have a grill, never fear—the recipe works almost as well under a broiler!

September 2014

Recipe Details