There is nothing better to accompany a hot bowl of delicious noodle soup, than a side of fresh crunchy cabbage filled to the brim with sesame veggies. A perfect accompaniment to our “Toasted Sesame Noodle Bowl with Shiitake Mushrooms”, these crunchy cabbage cups will pair perfectly for a delicious evening by the fire. And before you put away any of the ingredients from making the noodle bowl, you will see that many of the ingredients we used for that recipe are used again here in this one! Fresh cold crunchy cabbage stuffed with warm sesame tempeh and vegetables, then drizzled with sweet hoison sauce, will fill your tastebuds with a delicious contrast. So let’s continue to put an Asian flair in our garden fare with this companion recipe!

Here is what you will need:

Crunchy Sesame Cabbage Cups

Yields approx. 8 servings (4 cups of filling) with 1/2 cup of filling in each cabbage cup.

Shopping list and Ingredients-

Tempeh- One 7oz pkg Sesame Garlic

Toasted sesame oil- 4 TBsp

Green cabbage- One small head

Asparagus- One bundle but into bite sized pieces (about 2 cups)

Zucchini- 3 small diced into bite sized pieces (about 2 cups)

Mushrooms- Blend of Oyster/Crimini/Shiitake-One 5 oz pkg chopped

Green onions- 1/2 cup fresh sliced

Cilantro- 1/2 cup fresh chopped

Tahini (sesame seed paste)- 1 TBsp

Garlic- 1/2 TBsp crushed

Ginger-1/2 TBsp crushed

Worcestershire sauce- 2 TBsp

Hoison sauce- 4 TBsp

Salt and pepper to taste.

Instructions:

Step 1- The Cups

A small head of cabbage can easily be converted into sturdy cups by cutting off the core and lifting each leaf off of the head by loosening it with a butter knife to avoid tearing. Once you have all of your cabbage leaf cups, rinse them gently and pat dry, and put them in to the fridge to chill while you move to step 2.

Step 2- The Filling

You will need a cast iron skillet or a something similar for sauteing all of the filling ingredients.

-First we will put the sesame oil in the skillet and turn the heat up to med-high. Once the oil is warmed up, we will add all of our other components.

-Next comes the garlic and ginger followed a minute or so later by the veggies. I usually add in the asparagus and the zucchini first, and saute for a few more minutes.

-Then we will add in the mushrooms, green onions and cilantro all at the same time.

-Once they are in, its time to get them coated in the sesame oil and seasoned.

-Now we will add the tahini and the tempeh. The tempeh will need to be broken up into smaller pieces as it browns.

-Finally the last ingredients to go in are the Worcestershire sauce and half of the hoison sauce. Salt and pepper to taste. 

Step 3- Fill and Nosh

While the filling is still hot, scoop 1/2 cup of it into each cabbage cup, and drizzle with the remaining hoison sauce. You can garnish with a sprinkle of sesame seeds sliced almonds or even crispy rice noodles for a bit of extra crunch.

As always, “lettuce” know what you think by planting your comments and questions here in The Garden. Come see us again for another recipe from The Lodge Kitchen. Next up as we move into December will be our warm and spicy, Yule Gingerbread Chai.

Thanks for visiting The Enchanted Garden Goddess, see you next time!