From salads to soups, from coleslaw to curries, cabbage is the main ingredient in many delicious preparations. A whole head of cabbage in the refrigerator can be intimidating for people not too used to cooking. Don't panic! Cutting this vegetable is a quick and easy job.
Steps
Part 1 of 2: Cutting the Cabbage
Step 1. Remove damaged outer leaves
Only remove those that are brown, slimy, or have holes in them. The outer leaves are usually tough, but this is not a problem if you are cooking cabbage.
Step 2. Rinse and dry the vegetable
Put the cabbage under cold running water and scrub it with clean fingers to remove traces of soil, germs and pesticides. Finally dry it by dabbing with kitchen paper.
Step 3. Choose a long-bladed stainless steel knife
Cutting cabbage will be quicker if the knife is longer than the width of the vegetable. Avoid carbon steel knives as they cause the edges of the cabbage slices to turn black.
Step 4. Cut it into four parts by placing it on a stable cutting board
Hold it firmly on the base of the cutting board, spreading your fingers around its circumference and cut it across its entire width in one smooth motion.
If you notice any holes or other signs that indicate the presence of parasites, soak the cabbage in salted water for 20 minutes before proceeding
Step 5. Remove the white core
All spherical cabbages (green, red or cabbage) contain a hard white core that is not very pleasant on the palate. To remove it from each quarter of a vegetable, hold it vertically and make a “V” incision at the base of the core. Finally, remove the core with a diagonal cut that should not be too deep.
If you are making vegetable wedges, leave a thin layer of core to prevent the leaves from separating. You can leave the cabbage quarters intact or divide them in half again to make smaller wedges
Step 6. Slice or shred the cabbage (optional)
Place the vegetable wedge so that one flat side rests on the cutting board. Hold the piece of cabbage still and bend your fingers inward so that the knuckles are near the blade and not the fingertips. Slice the clove completely by moving from the outer leaves to the inner ones. If you need to make a stew, try to make slices 6-12mm thick or chop the vegetables into 3mm strips to make fermented sauerkraut or coleslaw.
- Consider using a mandolin, a kind of grater with very large holes, or a food processor that has a suitable disc blade. The blades mounted on the mandolins can be dangerous for an inexperienced cook, so choose a model that has a hand guard.
- If you want to get short slices, cut the wedge lengthwise; if you need long slices, slice the cabbage pieces lengthwise. Either way you will get a great dish.
Step 7. Cook the cabbage or treat it with lemon juice
If you want to prolong its life in the refrigerator, leave the cabbage whole until you plan to cook it. If it is too large to be eaten in a single recipe, then rub the cut portion with lemon to prevent it from turning black. Store leftover cabbage in the refrigerator, protected in an unsealed bag or plastic wrap for up to two weeks.
Keep it sliced in a bowl, dipped in cold water with lemon juice. Close the container with cling film and place it in the refrigerator
Part 2 of 2: Cutting the Chinese Cabbage
Step 1. Recognize the type of cabbage
The Chinese one is long-leaved and cylindrical in appearance. There are two types that require different approaches for cutting:
- Peking cabbage looks a lot like romaine lettuce and its leaves are thin and tight together.
- The bok choy has a long, thick white stem with several branches. The leaves are dark green and clustered at one end.
Step 2. Prepare the cabbage
Rinse it off and get rid of any withered leaves. If you need to cut a bok choy, cut and throw the last piece at the base. This brownish area is where the branches come together and tends to be tough and unpleasant on the palate.
If you are cutting a Peking cabbage, do not remove the base
Step 3. Cut the vegetable in half lengthwise
Regardless of the variety you cook, place the cabbage on a stable cutting board. Cut it in half along the center of the stem with a large stainless steel knife.
Do not use carbon steel blades as they leave black marks on the edges of the slices
Step 4. Grab half of the cabbage with claw-closed fingers
When cutting all kinds of vegetables, this position protects your fingers from injury. "Curl" the fingertips towards the palm of the hand so that the knuckles are the part closest to the blade.
Step 5. Slice the leaves and stem in a transverse direction
Cut them widthwise, so that each slice is as thick as you like. Shredded cabbage (3mm) is perfect for coleslaw and fermented sauerkraut, while larger slices are good for soups (or if you have a dull knife).
Both bok choy and Peking cabbage are entirely edible (leaves and stem)
Step 6. Cut the leaves of the bok choy (optional)
Some cabbages of this variety have large, broad leaves. You can cut them into easier-to-handle chunks after gathering them into bunches. At this point you can cut them once or twice lengthwise.
The leaves of the bok choy have shorter cooking times than the stem. Consider adding them to the pot 5-10 minutes after the stems
Advice
- Store whole kale in the refrigerator as it is easier to slice when cold and crunchy.
- You can avoid cutting cabbage altogether if you make cabbage rolls.
- If the cutting board is unstable and moves during the cutting process, you run the risk of injury. Take a wet paper towel, squeeze it to get rid of excess water and place it under the cutting board to stabilize it.
- Chinese cabbage no larger than an inch can be cooked whole.
