Experts explained which cabbage is tastier and how to ferment it outside the box

Applicants for the cabbage hit parade, at the request of the regional Ministry of Health, were collected by nutritionists. What varieties are on the list? Kohlrabi, cauliflower, broccoli, white cabbage and Brussels sprouts. United by a common name, all these varieties of cabbage are good in their own way!

— white-headed – This is the most common and popular type of cabbage, which grows almost everywhere, – says nutritionist Marina Gurskaya. – Interesting – what we know as a head of cabbage, a dense “roll” of cabbage leaves, is, in fact, a hypertrophied bud of a plant. White cabbage is valued for its taste and versatility – it can be used in salads, main dishes, soups, pies and so on. Another plus of this vegetable is a large amount of healthy fiber, which has a beneficial effect on digestion. Cabbage also contains potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, calcium, iron, vitamins A, B1, B2, B6, C, E, PP, U. There is especially a lot of ascorbic acid in it, which, moreover, is almost not destroyed during storage of the head or when fermenting cabbage. To fill the body’s daily need for vitamin C, it is enough for an adult to eat 200 g of raw cabbage or 100-150 g of sauerkraut. However, for those who have serious problems with the digestive organs, kidneys, as well as diabetes and hypothyroidism, you should not eat too much white cabbage (by the way, other types too), and even better, discuss this item of your diet with your doctor.

Nutritionist Viktor Anisimov told us about kohlrabi.

– “Kohlrabi” is translated from German as “turnip cabbage”: indeed, this vegetable resembles a turnip in shape. Kohlrabi cannot boast the same popularity as white cabbage, but it is no less healthy and tasty. Juicy, slightly sweet kohlrabi tastes like the stalk of a white-headed “sister”.

Like white cabbage, kohlrabi is rich in vitamin C and fiber, which stimulates metabolism and promotes healthy digestion. This vegetable also contains folic acid, potassium, calcium, magnesium and iron.

More often, kohlrabi tubers are used in cooking: they can be eaten raw in salads, baked, boiled, fried. But if you buy kohlrabi with leaves, don’t throw them away. First of all, they are also delicious: they can be eaten raw or used like cabbage leaves, for example, for mini cabbage rolls. Secondly, there are even more useful substances in kohlrabi leaves than in tubers.

Concerning cauliflower, which Mark Twain called “graduate cabbage”, is especially appreciated in cooking for its soft, slightly creamy, yet fresh taste with a slight nutty flavor. Those who have a particularly sensitive digestion love this cabbage, as it is more easily digested than white cabbage, due to its lower coarse fiber content. At the same time, cauliflower tolerates freezing well and, after defrosting, almost does not lose its properties.

Cauliflower inflorescences contain a lot of vitamin C, vitamins B1, B2, B6, PP, A, as well as sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, and iron. It contains a lot of pectin, citric, malic and tartronic acids (the latter prevents the formation of fatty deposits).

To get the maximum of useful substances, cauliflower should be eaten raw, for example, thinly cut or disassembled into inflorescences and added to salads. It can also be boiled, fried, baked, added to the filling for pies. There are also unusual varieties of cauliflower dishes. For example, a head of cabbage can be cut into flat “steaks” and fried on both sides. Or chop raw cabbage in a blender and use boiled “chopped” instead of cereals, such as rice, for side dishes.

Broccoli – this is one of the first vegetables that are introduced into baby food, and this can say a lot about the benefits of this cabbage, and how well the body absorbs it. Eaten inflorescences and young stems of this vegetable contain vitamins B1, B2, C, PP, B and E, potassium, phosphorus, calcium and magnesium salts. In terms of protein, broccoli is ahead of sweet potato, asparagus, spinach and potatoes.

However, in order for broccoli to retain the maximum amount of useful properties, it is worth approaching its preparation carefully. If you cook this cabbage, put it only in already boiling water, and not in cold water, cook for no longer than 3 minutes, and then put it in ice water if you want the inflorescences not to change color. Even better – steaming or baking in foil. By the way, broccoli, like cauliflower, can also be eaten raw, for example, cut into thin slices, sprinkled with olive oil, seasoned with spices and served as a fresh side dish for the second course.

And finally Brussels sprouts, bred from kale in the century before last in Belgium, grows very interestingly. This is a biennial plant: in the first year a stem grows, and in the second year, on it, in the axils of the leaves, small heads of cabbage are formed, the size of a walnut. Up to a hundred of these mini-heads can form on one stem, but usually there are about 50 of them on each plant. These heads are usually eaten.

Brussels sprouts have many health benefits. For example, compared to white cabbage, it contains several times more protein and vitamin C. It also contains B vitamins, vitamin A, folic acid, iron, phosphorus, potassium and other substances necessary for the human body. At the same time, cabbage is very low-calorie for everyone, and thanks to the tenderness of thin sheets of cabbage heads, it is well absorbed.

In order to preserve all this abundance of vitamins until spring, it is customary to ferment cabbage. Today, there are already more than 15 thousand recipes for salting white cabbage. We want to offer you the most unusual.

“If you make sauerkraut in Siberian style, put a lot of carrots there – then it will turn out almost orange,” says Vasily Zhonkin, a cook from Zaprudnya. – If in Astrakhan, then put tomatoes cut into halves in jars. People in the Tver region are very fond of sauerkraut with horseradish. And on Seliger I was once told about a recipe without salt. Garlic gives the taste of sauerkraut without salt.

Zhonkin admitted that he himself loves most of all sauerkraut in Armenian style. For 60 kilograms of cabbage, he takes a kilo of beets, cherry leaves, various roots, cinnamon, allspice and hot peppers.

“The secret is that the beets should be cut into slices, and a layer between the cabbage mixture is laid out with them,” the expert says.

Few people know, but cooks with the most refined taste have adapted to sour broccoli. Celery, carrots, garlic, bay leaves, salt and black pepper are also taken as ingredients.

“The recipe is actually elementary, a delicious dish is prepared in just three stages,” says Anna Zernova, a culinary blogger from Chekhov. – Put the celery, garlic, bay leaf, broccoli and carrots in turn in the jar. Add salt to water in a ratio of 1: 2 – it turns out an ideal basis for fermenting broccoli. Close the jar with a lid and leave for 3 days at room temperature.

The most versatile, perhaps, is Brussels sprouts. We offer you the original recipe for her sourdough. What you will need:

500 g Brussels sprouts;

80 g dill;

10 black peppercorns;

5 cloves of garlic;

120 g of salt;

2 dried chili peppers.

The first step is to rinse the cabbage, removing the top leaves. Cook small heads whole, cut large heads in half, place in a saucepan with salted water and cook for three minutes.

Transfer to a jar or small bowl, add whole peeled garlic cloves, dill and chili pepper. Salt and pour over the water in which the vegetables were cooked. It is recommended to use coarse salt – it will evenly soak the heads of cabbage.

Cover with a clean towel, organize oppression and leave in a warm place for three days. Then close with a capron lid and put in the refrigerator.

TOP: Varieties of white cabbage, ideal for pickling:

– June

– Cossack

– glory 1305

– tobia

– gift

– Belarusian 455