Pan-Fried Cabbage with Sesame Seeds

Cooking method

1. Step 1:

   

   Gather the ingredients from the list. For this dish, it's best to use young, juicy cabbage. Feel free to change up the spices and seasonings to taste, but do keep the sesame — it gives the dish a special flavor with an Asian note. There are lots of ways to make this: cabbage can be fried with onion, with carrot, with tomato paste, or in batter. Here we'll go with this simple version.

2. Step 2:

   

   Peel off the dry, dirty outer leaves and cut off a piece of the head the size you need. Slice the cabbage into thin, long strips — long enough that they're easy to toss around the pan with a spatula while frying. To make the cabbage more tender and cook faster, you can scrunch the shredded cabbage a bit with your hands.

3. Step 3:

   

   Put your chosen spices in a small bowl — I use dried basil (it adds a lovely, distinctive flavor, so I recommend it), sesame seeds, and ground black pepper — and stir them together. Don't add the salt yet. If you like things spicier, toss in a pinch of ground red pepper.

4. Step 4:

   

   Pour vegetable oil into a skillet and heat it well. Add the cabbage to the hot oil. Lower the heat to medium and fry the cabbage, stirring now and then with a spatula, uncovered.

5. Step 5:

   

   Stir the cabbage as often as you can so it doesn't scorch and turn the dish unpleasantly bitter.

6. Step 6:

   

   Fry the cabbage for about 10 minutes, then add the spice mix. Stir and keep frying for another 10 minutes or so. Add salt to taste, stir the cabbage, and turn off the heat.

7. Step 7:

   

   The dish is ready. This fried cabbage, with its lively, slightly spicy flavor, can be served on its own to surprise guests and family, or as a side at lunch or dinner alongside a piece of meat or a cutlet. Unlike braised cabbage, it has an unexpected taste and a pleasant crunch. Enjoy!