In mathematical terms a whole is equal to, and never more nor less, than the sum of its constituent parts. From a philosophical or aesthetic point of view however, it might be said that a whole is in fact more than the mere sum of its parts. One of the enduring rational arguments in support of the existence of a divine creator is based on such an observation. Here I would like to make a similar claim, but specifically in relation to stuffed cabbage leaves which, when a serving of particularly succulent specimens is encountered, also suggest the existence of a creator who is, if not divine, at least gifted.
It is true that cabbage tastes good on it's own and the stuffing I suggest in this recipe also makes a tasty snack in its own right. As stuffing cabbage leaves is a fairly time-consuming and fiddly business, to justify its inclusion in a collection of recipes which claim to be 'fast', 'easy' and 'simple', we really have to examine the recipe under the heading 'worth it?'.
In this instance my answer would be a definite 'yes', the whole is indeed more than the sum of its parts, but you'll have to try the recipe for yourself to see if I'm right.
Ingredients
I cabbage
500g of tofu
1 onion
3 cloves of garlic
A handful of roasted peanuts, ground or chopped
5 or 6 dessert spoons of soy sauce
2 vegetable stock cubes
A third of a teaspoon of crushed dried chilli
A few sprigs of green coriander
A bunch of celery herb (with stems) or green onions
1 tablespoon of sugar
2 tablespoons of flour
Salt
Oil
Separate the cabbage leaves carefully then put them in a large pot with 5cm of water on the bottom. Remove the leaves from the celery stems or separate the green onions into individual leaves. Don't chop them as they are going to be used to tie up the cabbage leaf parcels. Lay the stems or onion leaves on top of the cabbage. Steam the cabbage leaves for a few minutes until they soften then rinse in cold water and drain.
To make the stuffing, chop the onion and garlic finely and fry it in a little oil until it becomes transparent, then add the tofu, roughly chopped, along with the chilli. Fry until the tofu starts to become golden then add the peanuts, chopped coriander and a little salt. Remove from the heat and mash until the ingredients start to bind together.
Remove the mid-rib from a cabbage leaf and make a parcel by wrapping some stuffing in the leaf and tying it with a celery stem or onion leaf. Repeat with the rest of the leaves and when you've finished lay the parcels side-by-side in a wide pan. Cover with water and bring to the boil. Add the stock cubes, soy sauce and sugar and simmer for twenty minutes. Add the flour mixed with a little cold water and simmer for a further few minutes until the sauce thickens. If it appears to be too thick, add some hot water from the kettle to thin it.
Serve the stuffed leaves with noodles or boiled rice and pour the sauce over the top.