Happy New Years

For the Western calendar, today was the first day of the year 2012. Last night we marked the end of 2011 and all the memories and experiences that we have learned from it, and welcomed in the future. Being brought up Irish-German-American (yeah, I know, some of the sexiest people in the world), I was taught a fine tradition on New Year's Day that you needed to eat a little bit of fresh cabbage for luck in the coming year. This was one of those absolutes that happened every year growing up, Mom would cut up the cabbage for something (usually coleslaw because that was her preferred way to eat it) and then give/have stolen the cores of the cabbages by my brothers, dad, or most of the time, me (really, this shouldn't have been any surprise!).

That was always great tradition, even if I didn't realize it growing up. And like all grand traditions I tend to enjoy continuing them into my adult life. And you can probably guess that I wouldn't do this the easy way, I love my traditions, but I just need to eat some cabbage during New Year's Day, it doesn't say how I have to cook it.

Spicy Stir Fry Cabbage on Rice

Tools:

Wok or Flat Bottom Pan able to hold at least 1/2 a head of cabbage.

Spatula (metal or plastic depending on the surface of your pan)

Cutting Board

Large Knife

Ingredients:

1/2 head of cabbage (shredded)*

Sriracha hot chili sauce

2 tbsp sesame oil

1 tbsp sesame seeds

1 large carrot, shredded

1 tbsp chopped garlic

1 tbsp chopped ginger

1 medium onion, shredded

Cooked white rice to serve this on (I make 3 cups cooked rice for every half cabbage I make)

*Ok, although I'm lazy 99.9% of the time, for special meals, I will shredded my own cabbage. Wash the cabbage under ice water and then pat dry. Place it on the cutting board so you can cut the bottom most heal off the cabbage, about 1/2 inch of the cabbage. This will give you a flat surface so you can plop it down on the cutting board. Now that it is flat and doesn't roll, cut the cabbage in half from the top down, creating two equal halves. Now you can lay your now larger flat surface onto the cutting board and 'shred' it with the knife by cutting thin strips off of the cabbage. I do my lettuce the same way when I get a head of iceburg (aka crap) lettuce.

First thing is first and cut everything up before you even put the pan on the heat. Once it is all cut up, you will want to get the pan very hot before adding the oil. From this stage it will move VERY quickly (as all stir fry). Add the garlic and ginger to the pan, then quickly add the carrot and onion. Stir this with the spatula several times to coat the veggies in the oil, and then add the cabbage.

Move it around quickly until the cabbage sweats a little bit (aka, cooks for about 30 seconds on high heat) and then start to add the Sriracha sauce. directly to the pan. Stir the entire time. Take it off the heat and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serve over white rice.

Well I better get going, it is the new year and I have many things to do and not a lot of time to do it. Until next time.

Bien Camino!