RED CABBAGE
Red cabbage has a myriad
of nutrients and plant
chemicals that are beneficial
to our health – it is low
in kilojoules, and high in
fibre and vitamins C and
K. One cup of chopped
red cabbage provides
the body with 85% of
the recommended daily
requirement of vitamin
C. Dietary vitamin C’s
functions in the body are
well known and include its
vital part in making collagen,
absorbing plant-based iron
and preventing cancer.
Cabbage is also a good
source of manganese, a
trace mineral that plays an
important role in normal
brain and neurological
functions. Cabbage contains
powerful plant chemicals
like polyphenols and sulfur
compounds that have been
linked to the reduction
of numerous chronic
diseases. Sulforaphane and
kaempferol are two of these
compounds that may help
to reduce inflammation.
Dietary anthocyanins,
another bioactive
compound that provides the
deep purple-red colour to
red cabbage, has also been
shown to have a beneficial
effect on obesity-induced
metabolic disorders and
inflammation. Boiling red
cabbage dramatically
lowers its vitamins A and C
levels, while most B vitamin
values remain the same.
T
he French word
“caboche”, meaning
head, gave the cabbage
(Brassica oleracea)
its name. The majority
of cabbages are in
the head or capitata
group, with three main
types: smooth green leaves; smooth red
leaves; and Savoy, with their attractive
crinkled leaves. While Celtic, Nordic and
Scandinavian countries played a large
role in the historical global distribution of
cabbage as a food plant, some evidence
points to the eastern Mediterranean
and Asia Minor as the place of origin of
the species.Head cabbage is a highly economical, leafy
vegetable. Not only relatively inexpensive,
it lasts a long time in the fridge, even when
its outer leaves have been removed or it’s
been cut – simply scatter a few drops of
water on the cut side to promote longevity.
Says William Kerr, owner of Alpha Seed- a Henley on Klip-based company that
breeds and imports vegetable seeds – “Red
cabbage is slower growing and generally
smaller than white cabbage, although it can
reach a medium size. Usually, farmers plant
conventional red cabbages closer and then
harvest them when they’re immature to yield
the baby size.”
Now for some unfair favouritism: while
white (also known as green) cabbage is the
more sizeable and widely used type of head
cabbage, it’s a little ho-hum. But, oh, those
deep ruby and sometimes amethyst hues
enveloped in the velvety leaves of the red
cabbage! It’s these tones that add lush bursts
of colour to dishes. Locally, we particularly
love red cabbage raw in coleslaw, an 18th-
century cabbage salad that originated in the
Netherlands. Coleslaw is also a mainstay of
Seven Colour Sunday lunches served on
many a table in SA – as the name suggests,
a plate piled high with seven colours of food
is a time-honoured way the Rainbow Nation
likes to feast on the seventh day of the week.
And, while fermenting or pickling cabbage
in everything from kimchi to sauerkraut may
be a hip and happening way to get your
dose of good bacteria, these forms of food
preservation are age-old culinary practices.
Another delicious and vibrant way to
serve red cabbage is braised German
style. Says local foodie Jeanne Horak of
Cook Sister (cooksister.com), “Blaukraut or
rotkohl are alternative names for a traditional
southern German dish of red cabbage and
apples braised in vinegar. It’s a wonderful
mix of the cabbage’s slightly mustardy
flavour, the tartness of the vinegar and the
sweetness of the apples, all underpinned
by the spicy notes of bay leaves and cloves.
Using the acidic vinegar as a braising liquid
keeps the cabbage red, as opposed to
using an alkaline liquid that would turn the
cabbage a less attractive shade of blue/
purple. This dish is super-simple to make
and makes a wonderful accompaniment to
traditional Bavarian dishes. And, if the taste
does not inspire you to write poetry about
the humble cabbage, then nothing will!”RED CABBAGE