Chinese style pork and tofu cabbage rolls packed full of vegetables for an easy, mid-week dinner. Minced meat and crumbed tofu with shiitake mushrooms and seasonings wrapped in a softened cabbage leave and steamed to perfection. Top with a dollop of spicy chilli garlic sambal.
There's always going to be a time where we need something easy, healthy and delicious for dinner. For me, this thought occurs weekly, and I find myself constantly looking for recipes that tick all these boxes. Enter cabbage rolls. I've dabbled in many, usually European style rolls served with a tomato sauce, or recipes with a an Asian influence. Both healthy, both delicious. But pork and tofu cabbage rolls with a spicy chilli sambal is the recipe that I turn too most often.
Cabbage rolls around the world
Cabbage rolls have a long history and are popular in various cuisines worldwide. The exact origins of the dish remain unclear, although it’s been suggested that stuffed cabbage appeared in Jewish cooking some 2,000 years ago. Others say that they originated in the Middle East or Mediterranean region, before the dish gained prominence in Eastern European and Balkan cuisines.
Cabbage rolls are made by wrapping a mixture of minced meat, rice or other grains, onions, garlic and spices in cabbage leaves. Depending on the cuisine, they are often accompanied by a sauce. The important part is this: they remain a beloved dish globally for their delicious flavour and comforting appeal.
Wrapping
For this recipe, cabbage leaves are blanched in boiling water. This technique not only ensures a pliable texture but also intensifies the cabbage's natural sweetness. Once the leaves have been removed from the water, lay them on to your chopping board ready for the filling. Take a couple of spoonfuls of the filling mixture and arrange it in a log at one end of the leaf. Roll upwards, tucking in the sides, almost like you would a burrito or spring roll. When you place your rolls on a plate ready for the steamer basket, ensure that the seam of the cabbage leaf is face down, keeping your roll closed.
This is an incredibly simple recipe to make, and reheats wonderfully. I love to make a double batch, and freeze the rolls in portions of three or four for lazy lunches later in the month.
Ingredients
- Pork mince
- Firm tofu
- Garlic
- Carrot
- Onion
- Dried shiitake mushrooms
- Cooked rice
- Oyster sauce
- Soy sauce
- Wombok (Napa cabbage)
- Sambal
See recipe card below for quantities.
Variations
- Meat: swap the pork for beef or chicken mince.
- Vegetarian: omit the pork mince from this recipe and replace the quantity with more firm tofu for a vegetarian version.
- Cabbage leaves: my preference is wombok leaves, however green cabbage leaves will work just as well, you may just need to boil them for slightly longer to make them soft and pliable.
Equipment
Watch the video here. If you make this one, don't forget to tag me on TikTok or Instagram. I love to see it!
This recipe was originally posted in my newsletter, Midnight Snack. Click here to read (I also include a wine pairing!). And feel free to subscribe!
Pork & Tofu Cabbage Rolls
Ingredients
- 500 g pork mince
- 150 g firm tofu crumbled
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 carrot finely diced
- 1 small onion finely diced
- 4 dried shiitake mushrooms rehydrated and finely diced
- ½ c cooked rice cooled
- 2 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 16 large wombok leaves
- Sambal or chilli garlic sauce to serve
Instructions
- In a bowl combine pork mince, tofu, garlic, carrot, onion, mushrooms, rice, oyster sauce and soy sauce. Stir well to combine.
- Bring a pot of water to the boil. Add cabbage leaves, and simmer for two minutes, or until soft and pliable. You may need to do a few leaves at a time.
- Lay two leaves on a board, overlapping. Add about one third of a cup of pork and tofu filling to the bottom of the roll, shaping it into a rough log. Roll upwards, tucking in the side of the cabbage leaves to create a little parcel. Repeat with remaining cabbage leaves and filling.
- Prepare a bamboo steaming basket over a pan of simmering water. Arrange 2-4 cabbage rolls in a shallow dish (one that will fit into your steamer basket). Steam for 12 minutes, or until cooked through.
- Serve your cabbage rolls with a dollop of sambal or chilli garlic sauce on top.
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