Jamaican steamed cabbage and carrots

M...eat...less

Kimchi is to Korea as steamed cabbage is to Jamaica. Honestly steamed cabbage with corned beef is more like it, but since this month is about no meat, I left out the salty delicacy and made a yummy dish of cabbage and carrots on all its own.

This is something we eat weekly. It’s the dish a Jamaican makes when…

• Groceries are low, but we somehow always have cabbage and carrots
• You had fish, chicken, pork and beef and are sick and tired of animal protein
• Or you either want a nice breakfast with some fried Dumplings or a quick dinner with some white rice

Some people are of the view that cabbage, callaloo, pop chow and all the usual suspects must be steamed with a meat usually saltfish. I am not of that view. I much prefer salt-fish cook on its own alongside the cabbage not mixed together.

Can we talk about the name though? Steamed cabbage? Why is it called steamed when its clearly braised? Lightly fried and then stewed in a covered container. I always wondered about that name, same as steamed fish, when it’s more of a stew. Whatever the name, its quick, yummy, can work for any time of the day and it has no meat.

Ingredients (printable recipe)

1 whole cabbage

2 large carrots

4-5 tablespoons good coconut oil

1 onion

1 tomato

1 sweet pepper

2 teaspoon Salt  or 1 to 2 boullion cubes

¼ teaspoon Black pepper

½ teaspoon Paprika

1 sprig fresh thyme

¼ teaspoon ground Allspice (optional)

Instructions

• Slice the cabbage and carrots into thin shreds
• Chop the onions tomato and sweet peppers
• Heat the coconut oil in a pan
• Saute the onions tomatoes and sweet peppers
• Add the salt/boullion, paprika, allspice and black pepper mix thoroughly
• Put the shredded cabbage and carrots on top and cover allowing it to wilt down
• After about 5 minutes covered stir everything together making sure all the seasonings and carrots and cabbage are coated in oil
• It will spring its own liquid and begin to soften, add the thyme and cover.
• Repeat this process for about 10 minutes until the cabbage is cooked. The carrot should still be slightly crunchy.
• If the flames are too high or you don't stir often enough the cabbage will burn and be bitter.
• Taste for seasoning, if more salt is needed add it and stir
• Serve with fried dumplings, rice or bread

XOXO Greedygirl