Braised Cabbage with Tomato Paste

Prepare all the necessary ingredients for cooking stewed cabbage with tomato paste. Stewed cabbage can be prepared in any season with any type of cabbage. In spring and early summer, young cabbage works well, resulting in a tender and juicy dish. Cooking time for such cabbage should be slightly shorter than for winter varieties of white cabbage. Winter varieties give the dish a rich flavor and a characteristic tang. It is recommended to choose tomato paste without preservatives and flavor enhancers, so be sure to read the ingredients. Alternatively, you can use homemade tomato paste or homemade tomato juice. After adding tomato paste or tomato juice, the cabbage becomes even more tender and juicy. The dish acquires a pleasant tanginess and sweetness. You can cook this cabbage dish in a frying pan or stew it in a cauldron. Sunflower refined or olive oil is suitable for frying vegetables.

Pour warm water over the tomato paste and mix until the liquid is smooth.

Slice the portion of cabbage with a sharp knife or shred it using a special cabbage grater.

Put all the cabbage in a deep bowl. If it is a winter variety of cabbage, you can gently knead it in the bowl with a pinch of salt for tenderness and juiciness.

Peel the onion, rinse it, and chop it into small pieces. A medium-sized or large onion is suitable for cooking stewed cabbage.

Peel the carrot and grate it with a medium or fine grater. Alternatively, you can cut the carrot into small strips with a knife.

Fry the chopped onion in a heated pan with a small amount of vegetable oil. The onion should become translucent and soft.

Add the grated carrot to the pan with the onion and, if necessary, a small amount of vegetable oil. Fry the carrot for 3-4 minutes and proceed to the next step of preparation.

Pour the cabbage into a pan with fried vegetables, mix well.

Fry the cabbage with the vegetables for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally. If the pan is small, add the cabbage in two stages. The cabbage should reduce in volume several times.

Pour tomato paste into the pan with the cabbage, mix well, add salt. Cover with a lid and simmer for 20 minutes until the vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally. If using winter cabbage varieties, increase the simmering time by 5-10 minutes.

The stewed cabbage with tomato paste is ready. Be sure to taste and check the tenderness. If necessary, add a little salt and black ground pepper. You can cook the cabbage to be slightly crunchy or soft, depending on your preference. If the stewed cabbage lacks acidity, add a little lemon juice or apple cider vinegar. When serving stewed cabbage with tomato paste, sprinkle with green onions or other fresh herbs. Enjoy your meal.