Korean Lazy Cabbage Rolls
Our German family favourite with a Korean twist.
The hardest part of making lazy cabbage rolls was always waiting for the meal to be ready. With just a few ingredient swaps on a family favourite, you can have dinner on the table from prep to plate in under 30 minutes.
The twist? The classic sauerkraut has been replaced by fermented kimchi while the white rice gets its flavour profile boosted by a basmati rice swap-out.
Ingredients:
1.5lbs of ground pork or turkey
2 tsp olive oil
2 cloves of minced garlic
1 large can of diced tomatoes (796ml/28fl oz)
1 cup of kimchi, diced
1 cup kimchi, roughly chopped (optional)
3 cups prepared rice (I prefer basmati as it incorporates better and has a nice flavour and aroma)
1-2 tsp of Korean chili pepper flakes
1/4 cup chopped parsley
Salt/pepper to taste
Directions:
Cook 1 cup of basmati rice as directed by packaging (will yield approximately 3 cups of prepared rice.)
While rice is steaming add 2 tsp of olive oil to a large skillet/deep dish pan and bring to a medium heat.
Add 2 cloves of minced garlic and cook for ~1min.
Add 1.5 lbs of ground pork or turkey to the pan and cook on medium heat until meat is cooked through.
Add 1 can of diced tomatoes, 1-2 tsp of Korean chili pepper flakes (depending on how much heat you want), and 1 cup of diced kimchi. Mix together.
Add in 1 cup of roughly chopped kimchi for added texture and heat (optional).
Reduce heat to medium-low and continue to stir occasionally. Stir and simmer for ~5 minutes.
Reduce heat to low and add in cooked rice until all 3 cups are fully incorporated. Simmer on low for ~5 minutes.
Remove from heat and top with 1/4 cup chopped parsley.
Serve and enjoy!
Note: You can make this recipe as spicy or mild as your palette can take. Newer kimchi will have a milder and less spicy flavour while aged kimchi will be more potent and potentially spicier (depending on what kimchi you use).
