This sweet-tart cabbage side dish is called a pickle for lack of a better name, but it doesn’t have the sour bite of a dill pickle, the salty spiciness of kimchi or the sweet-tart crunch of Japanese tsukemono.
Won bok, also called Chinese cabbage or napa cabbage, is the base. It’s coated in a sweet sauce made of puréed kabocha, carrots, banana and apple, then a good amount of tangy vinegar or lemon juice is stirred in. The result is a tangy mix, but mellowed by the sweetness of the sauce.
Salt is used only to draw out liquid from the cabbage. It’s important not to use too much; the pickles should be sweet-sour, not salty.
This recipe is written for a won bok head of 2 pounds. If yours is bigger or smaller, follow this formula for the amount of salt and sugar to add: For every 100 grams (about 3 1/2 ounces) of cabbage, use 1 gram (a little less than 1/4 teaspoon) salt and the same amount of sugar.
Golden Pickled Won Bok with Pumpkin
Ingredients:
• 1 medium won bok (about 2 pounds), sliced
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
• 2-4 tablespoons vinegar or lemon juice, or more, to taste
Ingredients for pumpkin sauce:
• 1 small kabocha (about 2 1/2 pounds), peeled and cut in chunks
• 1 medium carrot, sliced
• 1 banana, peeled
• 1 apple (any red variety), peeled, cored and sliced
Directions:
Place won bok in colander and toss with salt. Place a weight over cabbage to press out liquid and soften cabbage (the weight can be a heavy bowl or a sealed plastic bag filled with something heavy; anything that will press down evenly). Let sit 2-4 hours.
Meanwhile, make the pumpkin sauce: Steam or microwave kabocha pieces and carrots until soft. Let cool, then place in a blender with banana and apple; purée until smooth.
Squeeze cabbage leaves to remove liquid. Taste and rinse if too salty; squeeze out liquid again. Toss with sugar (more water may come out; squeeze cabbage again). Mix with pumpkin sauce, then stir in vinegar or lemon juice 1 tablespoon at a time, tasting as you go, until it reaches sourness you like. Serves 10 as a side dish.
Approximate nutrient analysis per serving: 80 calories, 0 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 250 mg sodium, 19 g carbohydrate, 4 g fiber, 9 g sugar, 3 g protein. Nutritional analysis provided by Joannie Dobbs, Ph.D., C.N.S.
The Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation is an international nonprofit with a local office in Kaimuki. Its mission of community service includes the promotion of a healthy vegetarian lifestyle. To learn more, visit facebook.com/hawaiitzuchi or call 808-737-8885.
