BBQ Indonesdian Hispi Cabbage.
Hispi cabbage and barbecues go so well together - the charring and subtle smokiness complements the natural flavour of the cabbage so well. Here I’ve coated it in a delicious Indonesian curry-style marinade which is so moreish. The coconut milk gives it a subtle sweetness, but you could make a lighter version by switching it for vegetable stock and reducing it down further. Whichever way you try it, i guarantee you’ll be hooked!
Makes 4 hispi cabbage wedges
Note on barbecuing: For all my BBQ recipes i use the Japanese style of grill called a Kamado (big ceramic egg-shape!). Kamado barbecues makes it easy to control the temperature and achieve an even cook, not dissimilar to an oven. If you’re using a different type and have difficulty controlling the temperature, you will need to adjust cooking times accordingly. For some recipes a similar effect can be achieved by doing the majority of the cooking in an oven /on a hob before finishing it on the BBQ for the charring & smoky flavour.
Ingredients.
1 hispi cabbage, a.k.a. sweetheart or pointed cabbage
Drizzle of oil
Pinch of salt
Crispy fried onions, to serve
Indonesian Sauce:
2 tbsp coconut oil
3 shallots, sliced thinly
1 bay leaf
1 tbsp ginger & garlic paste, fresh or from a jar like this one
2 small red chillis, seeds in, finely chopped
½ tsp galangal, fresh or from a jar like this paste
½ tsp shrimp paste, like this one
200ml coconut milk
Equipment.
barbecue
pastry brush
small/medium saucepan
Method.
Start by preparing the Indonesian marinade: sweat the shallots down in the coconut oil with the bay leaf for 10-15minutes until soft and sweet. Then add the ginger & garlic paste, galangal, chilli, and shrimp paste and cook for a further 2-3 minutes. Finally, add the coconut milk and simmer rapidly for around 10mins until it has reduced by about 1/3 and is rich and fragrant. Set aside until ready to cook
Cut the cabbage in half lengthways, then half again, using the root to keep the layers in tact
When the BBQ is ready to cook on, brush the cabbage quarters with a little oil and sprinkle with salt
Lay them on the hot BBQ for a few minutes on each side to start getting some colour on them
Then lay them cut side up and spoon over about 1/3 of the marinade, using a pastry rush to help push the marinade into the layers. Laying them close to one another minimises spillage through the grill
After a few minutes, turn them over and give them a baste with another 1/3 of the marinade
Once the cabbage is nicely charred and cooked through, remove from the BBQ and lay on a serving platter. This should take around 20mins altogether but cooking time will vary depending on the style & heat of your BBQ, so use a knife at the thickest part to test for doneness
Spoon over the remaining marinade and sprinkle on the fried onions to serve
