This savoury soup is actually not difficult to make, but it takes some effort to make it. We need to soften the cabbage leave, so we can fold it without tearing the leave. Two weeks ago, I have no more idea what to cook, especially after almost 5 months jobless (read: without paying job outside home). These few months, I have "tortured" my family with food, a lot of them. From lapis Surabaya cake, kue lumpang, fried pastel, to fried meat ball.
While looking at the ingredients I had and the supermarket promotion of the week, I stumbled to the potatoes I had in the kitchen and suddenly (ehem, after inspired by a Japanese drama series) thought of my grandmother and her soup. So, we went to buy cabbage and immediately cooked this for our weekend dinner.
My children liked it so much and my oldest even ate it without the rice, just like that. He said it tasted much better without the intrusion of the "rice" taste. We let them eat as much as they want. My youngest also loved it, but he prefers it with rice. He is really a "carbohydrate" guy. And my husband? He also found it delicious although at first he thought that I was going to make the Polish's stuffed cabbage, eaten with tomato based sauce.
This soup is nice to be eaten when the weather is getting colder. It is for me, a comfort food and will always remind me of my grandmother. So, based on my experience, I think it worths to go an extra mile, serving home cooked food for the children. It will definitely give them a homy feeling, and also loving feeling. Food is one of the way getting to somebody's heart. Share your love with your family, cook something for them. It does not have to be a Michelin star level food, but when it is loved by the family and brings the family together, it will be a long lasting memory and a good support for our children.
Ingredients
Potato (around 3-4 medium to big size)
3 cloves garlic
1 onion, cut
300 gram minced meat (for this one I used a mixed beef - pork minced meat)
1 cabbage (I used spitskool - the one with pyramid shape)
3-4 carrot (for in the soup - cut into bite size)
a handfull mushroom (for in the soup - cut into bite size)
300 ml chicken stock - plus extra water to make it into around 2,5 ltr soup
2 eggs
2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
extra: food grade tie/rope
How to make it
1. In a big pot or wok, boil some water. When the water is getting warm, put inside a piece of the cabbage leave and turn in around until it is soft enough to fold. Use low heat! Repeat this steps until you have enough leaves to wrap the stuffed cabbage. Put them aside.
2. Meanwhile, boil the peeled potatoes. After it is soft and a bit cooler, mash the potatoes.
3. Mince the garlic and the onion.
4. Mixed the mashed potato, garlic, onion, minced meat. Add salt and pepper.
5. Add the eggs.
6. Mixed the mixture until it is well mixed. You do not need to use any mixer, just use your wooden spoon and mash potato tool.
7. Take 1 cabbage leave, fill it with 1-2 tablespoon filling mixture. Wrap it and tie it with food grade tie/rope that we can use for cooking. Repeat it until all filling mixture and/or cabbage leaves are used.
8. In the meantime, prepare the soup. Boil the chicken stock and water, add the carrot and mushroom. Add salt and pepper as needed.
9. Put in the stuffed cabbage in the soup and boil them together with the soup until the filling is cooked.
Enjoy the food and don't forget to cook for your family whenever you have time. Or, you can also make it as a family activity together with all family member.
