In the preparation of cabbage rolls, perhaps the most time-consuming task is to prepare cabbage leaves. Now on sale all cabbage is hard as granite, and the old methods are of little use.
Cabbage is very interesting vegetable. No one will argue, for example, that sauerkraut- one of the best domestic snacks. In the villages, cabbage is sour in huge barrels, I sour it myself. At home, we limit ourselves to a simple way, and sauerkraut in jars.
Ingredients
White cabbage 1 head 
Believe it or not, today I dreamed of homemade cabbage rolls ... Waking up, I prepared the filling very quickly - cooked half a glass of rice, made minced meat. For some time he stood and was actively lazy to disassemble the cabbage. How to remove cabbage leaves? To quickly and without hassle. Suddenly... You will laugh, but it is quite simple. I removed from 2 kg, hard as granite, cabbage - 10 top sheets in 2 minutes. Without heating, boiling, and other extremely tedious procedures. Moreover, the leaves are not only not damaged, they are not even scratched. This is hardly know-how, it's too simple. But ... cabbage for cabbage rolls will be as it should. To remove leaves from a head of cabbage, you need a knife and cold water from a faucet. I recommend preparing 1-2 large dinner plates, as the cabbage leaves will be wet. Carefully inspect the head of cabbage for cabbage rolls. A simple task for observation is to determine on which side of the stump a cabbage leaf grows, the topmost one. With a knife, cut this leaf from the stalk. It is necessary to cut off completely so that the sheet is not attached to the stump even with one fiber. It is important! 
Place the head of cabbage in the kitchen sink and open the faucet with cold water. The flow of water should be medium so that the water does not scatter throughout the kitchen. Place a head of cabbage for stuffed cabbage under a stream of water so that the water falls on the incision site and stick out the petiole of the cabbage leaf a little with your finger so that the stream of water falls under the leaf. 
Water, falling under the upper cabbage leaf, acts as a lubricant. With a slight shaking of the petiole with your fingers, a slight pressure from the stalk along the head, you can easily separate the leaf from the head of cabbage. No need to force the process. The sheet is removed very easily, it is only important that a stream of water gets under the sheet. 
Just 2-3 seconds and the cabbage leaf peels off. Absolutely no damage or cracking. The process is repeated until a sufficient number of leaves are collected. 
But, cabbage leaves are very fragile, and it is very problematic to wrap minced meat in them. Usually cabbage leaves are boiled. Water is boiled, poured from a kettle, or boiled in a saucepan. This process makes me sad. So. Take a regular plastic bag. Put the removed fresh cabbage leaves in a bag for stuffed cabbage. Tie the bag, but not tightly. There needs to be a very small hole. Put a bag of cabbage leaves in the microwave and heat everything at full power for 1-3 minutes. Cabbage leaves become soft very quickly. It is worth starting with 1 minute, and then control the degree of softness and add 30-60 seconds each. 
Cool cabbage leaves under running cold water. Cutting down sharp knife protruding part of the petiole of a cabbage leaf. 
Next, spread the stuffing for cabbage rolls into prepared cabbage leaves and wrap the cabbage rolls. 
Prepare wrapped cabbage rolls in any known way, as you like. 
From the remaining head, after preparing cabbage for cabbage rolls, you can cook Ukrainian borsch or bigos. And note that the remaining head of cabbage was not subjected to heat treatment and can be stored in the refrigerator for a long time. 
How to remove leaves from cabbage for cabbage rolls - now it's not a problem!
Enjoy your meal!
If you have a microwave at home or in the country, then you can prepare cabbage for cabbage rolls in a few minutes. To do this, you can use a household appliance of any power and capacity. The main thing is that the head of cabbage placed inside the equipment rotates freely when turned on.
To quickly cut cabbage for cabbage rolls, use the microwave
Step by step instructions:
- Before starting work, you need to cut off the stem of the stalk and make notches along the base.
- Put the cabbage on a plate or in a bowl and microwave for 8-10 minutes, setting the oven to maximum power.
- After the end of the process, dense leaves will be easily separated from the head. If the procedure becomes more complicated, you should re-send the cabbage to the microwave oven.
Thus, within a minimum time, you can disassemble the head of cabbage into separate elements. If a finished semi-finished product will be too hard for cooking cabbage rolls, send the cabbage leaves folded in a pile in the microwave for about five minutes. After additional processing, they will become soft and will fold easily.
How to cut cabbage for cabbage rolls without improvised means
If it is not possible to use household appliances, you can use simple option, which requires only access to running water:
- prepare a head of cabbage by cutting off the stalk and cutting the junction of the leaves with the base;
- place cabbage under running water;
- feel for the junction of the leaf with the stalk and slightly separate it from the head of cabbage, letting water in;
- loosen the leaf until it separates.
In this case, the water acts as a lubricant, separating the tight joint between the leaves. It will take no more than 2-3 seconds to separate one sheet.
How to cut cabbage so that the leaves become soft
To cook stuffed cabbage, cabbage should be easy to twist. However fresh leaves quite fragile and resilient. To soften the structure, put them in plastic bag and put it in the microwave for a few minutes. This simple process is a great substitute for traditional boiling.
For the preparation of cabbage rolls, the cabbage leaf must be intact, without damage and cracks. With the help of the above methods, this can be done quickly and without any extra effort.
Which has many analogues in the Middle Eastern and Asian cuisines. It is a vegetable or minced meat with boiled rice or buckwheat, wrapped in soft cabbage leaves.
Currently, there are several varieties of this dish with different fillings.
Wrapping cabbage rolls is a rather laborious process, so many chefs use a simpler version of their preparation.
General information about the dish
Traditional cabbage rolls are products from minced meat wrapped in cabbage leaves. The process of preparing such a dish can take you several hours. This is due not only to the long-term production of the filling, but also to the formation of the semi-finished products themselves.
Cooking features
As you know, cabbage is a multi-layered vegetable, which is particularly hard and crunchy. If the leaves of this product are crushed, they will break. Therefore, for the preparation of cabbage rolls, they must be subjected to heat treatment. Only in this case the vegetable will become softer and more supple.
Processing options
Cabbage for stuffed cabbage in the microwave is processed quite rarely. After all, many housewives are used to doing this with the help of a stove. However, this process is longer and more laborious. Therefore, we decided to tell you about how to prepare cabbage for cabbage rolls in the microwave.
vegetable selection
Before that, it should be chosen correctly. Vegetables for such a dish should be taken in small sizes. The head of cabbage should not be covered with mold and other rot. most suitable cabbage for cabbage rolls is an elastic and light fork of a small size. Such a vegetable will make your dish tender and very tasty.
How to process?
Few people know how to soften cabbage for cabbage rolls in the microwave. Before describing this simple process, you should tell how the vegetable must be properly processed.
The head of cabbage is thoroughly washed in cool water. At the same time, all superficial leaves unsuitable for consumption are removed from it. They can be affected by mold and rot. The main thing is that the thickness of the vegetable is clean and not affected by insects.
Method one. How to prepare cabbage for cabbage rolls in the microwave?
After the vegetable has been processed and cleaned, it is placed on a flat plate designed for the microwave oven. In this case, the cabbage must be placed with the stalk down.
In this form, the product is sent to the microwave. At maximum power, the vegetable is cooked for about 10-11 minutes. During this time, the head of cabbage should become soft and hot. It is taken out and immediately washed under running cold water. As a result of simple manipulations, all the leaves are alternately removed from the cabbage. They should be as soft as possible and move away from the stalk almost independently.
As you can see, cabbage for cabbage rolls in the microwave cooks pretty quickly. The disadvantage of this method is that the upper layers of the leaves can become too soft and fall apart right in the hands.
Method two. How to cook cabbage for cabbage rolls in the microwave quickly?
In the event that you do not want to keep the vegetable in the microwave for too long so that it does not boil, we suggest using another method of preparing it. The cabbage is also washed and the surface leaves are removed. Then it is placed on a plate and the product is sent for five to seven minutes (at maximum power).
After the lapse of time, it is taken out and immediately washed with cold water. In the process of this, the upper leaves are removed from the cabbage, which have already softened slightly. This should be done until you get to tougher leaves.
Cabbage for cabbage rolls in the microwave is processed several times in this way. After separating the soft leaves, the head is again sent to the microwave oven and kept for about three to four minutes.
Similar procedures are carried out until the entire vegetable is disassembled into leaves that are soft and suitable for cabbage rolls.
Method three
Cabbage for cabbage rolls in the microwave for softening can be processed in different ways. The two most popular methods have been presented above. However, some housewives carry out such a process using ordinary drinking water.
The vegetable is thoroughly washed, unnecessary elements are cut off in the form of surface leaves, and then placed in a deep plate designed for microwave oven. Next, pour a little drinking water into the dishes (about ½ cup). This method will help to obtain a more gentle base for meat dish.
Cabbage for cabbage rolls in the microwave with water should be cooked for seven to eight minutes. In this case, the power of the microwave oven is set to the maximum value.
Over time, the vegetable along with the pallet with hot water carefully remove from the microwave and wash well, separating the leaves from the head. If the leaves located closer to the stalk remain hard, then the product is kept in the microwave oven for some time.
Summing up
As you can see, cabbage for cabbage rolls in the microwave for softening is prepared quite easily and quickly. This method will save you a lot of time.
If for the preparation of a meat dish you purchased large vegetable and it does not fit in a microwave oven, we suggest using traditional way, which involves the use of a stove. To do this, the processed and peeled head is laid out in large saucepan or an iron basin that is half filled plain water. In this form, the vegetable is put on a strong fire and the liquid is waiting for the boil. Turn the cabbage upside down and cook it for about 3-4 minutes. After that, the pan is removed from the stove and its contents are kept under a closed lid for about ¼ hour. During this time, the entire thickness of the product should be thermally processed, all cabbage leaves will soften.
In the event that such a process of preparing a vegetable is laborious and lengthy for you, we suggest using not a white-headed product, but a Beijing one. As you know, it has very soft and delicate oval-shaped leaves. Therefore, there is no point in thermal processing them. You only need to separate the leaves from the base, rinse them thoroughly in cool water and immediately use them to form homemade semi-finished products.
The first and main condition for branded cabbage rolls is correctly selected, chopped and cooked cabbage until softened. Delicate, successful, neat duckies are obtained if the cabbage leaf is thin and transparent, but intact and moderately strong. From such leaves, the dish comes out not only amazingly tasty, but also beautiful, appetizing, desirable.
Cabbage for cabbage rolls in the microwave in separate leaves
The preparation of cabbage for cabbage rolls in the microwave is very effective. It can be boiled until softened either in separate sheets or with a whole fork. You are lucky if you managed to parse the white cabbage into leaves without heat treatment. This is not easy: the raw head is fragile, the leaves break, they are poorly separated from the stalk. You can greatly facilitate the task by removing the stalk and substituting the head of cabbage under the tap with a powerful jet of hot water.
Put the whole leaves of the correct form on a plate and place in the microwave oven for 5-7 minutes. As a result of this processing, you will get white, almost transparent soft blanks for cabbage rolls. Thickenings on them can be cut with a sharp knife or gently beat off with a wooden mallet. Such a method would be the best, but it is difficult to disassemble the tight raw forks of the late white-headed beauty. Any doubts? Do not risk it, try to warm it up entirely.
Cabbage for cabbage rolls in the microwave with a whole head of cabbage
Connoisseurs recommend: you need to choose for this dish not a rounded, but a flattened head. The flat white leaf is large, the veins are thick, but short. From such blanks, it is easier to wrap cute identical cabbage rolls of a standard size. The stalk of the flattened fork is wide and short and easy to remove. Proper cabbage for cabbage rolls in the microwave for softening, it is prepared as follows:
- Remove the upper “non-marketable” dark green layer from the purchased head, wash the head.
- Using four to five deep incisions, excise the stalk and remove it.
- Place the forks inside the bowl, the bowl into the microwave.
- Turn on the stove at full power for 10-12 minutes.
- Ready-to-use cabbage should be soft. If this is not the case, another two or three minutes of processing will not interfere with her.
- Place the cooked head of cabbage under a stream of cold water.
- Take it apart. Cabbage leaves are then easy to separate.
Such a recipe does not always give an ideal result. As you peel off layer by layer, you may notice that the sheets have not been cooked evenly until softened. Some of them will seem too hard for you. Select the parts that require additional cooking, place them to reheat, setting the time on the timer for 2-3 minutes. To cook a meal quickly experienced housewives do not seek to process a head of cabbage at a time, but boil it in stages.
How to make cabbage for cabbage rolls in the microwave in a few steps
Cabbage for cabbage rolls in the microwave for softening can be cooked more than once, but this will only speed up the process of preparing your favorite dish. The secret is simple:
- Prepare the cabbage (wash thoroughly, remove the top layer, cut out the stalk).
- Place the fork inside a deep microwave dish.
- Boil without adding water, at full power, setting the timer for 5-6 minutes.
- Hot head immediately place under cold water. Easily separate 4-5 leaves that have had time to cook before softening.
- Set the cabbage residue to warm up again for the same 5-6 minutes.
- During this time, you will have time to cut off the thick veins and stuff the cabbage rolls with minced meat.
- Place the heated again without delay under cold water, separate the soft layer and send it to the oven again.
- When the forks are finished, almost all the leaves will be already wrapped and ready for further cooking.
That's all the wisdom on how to prepare cabbage for cabbage rolls in the microwave. Excellent result will delight your loved ones if you choose the right forks, prepare it and carefully monitor the cooking time. Having prepared this dish once with the help of a microwave oven, you will never want to return to the traditional complex boiling of a head of cabbage over a fire to soften it.
Ingredients:
- White cabbage
How to prepare cabbage for cabbage rolls in a saucepan step by step instructions with a photo:
Step 4
Put a head of cabbage into boiling water and boil for 5-7 minutes, periodically turning the cabbage in the water “from head to toe”.
We will need:
- Microwave utensils
- food package
- Board kitchen
Ingredients:
- White cabbage
How to prepare cabbage leaves for cabbage rolls
Everyone loves cabbage rolls, but, alas, this dish cannot be called fast. And they just don’t come up with anything to save time when cooking cabbage rolls. Here we will tell you how easy it is to prepare cabbage leaves, how to better and quickly cut a head of cabbage, so that this stage of cooking can be done as correctly as possible.
How to prepare cabbage for cabbage rolls in the microwave
This can be done faster and safer in the microwave than in boiling water. This method has been used for a long time, so you can call it proven. It is enough to place fresh cabbage in the microwave at maximum power for no more than 5-7 minutes, and it will be easy to remove one sheet after another. If cabbage leaves become more difficult with each layer, you can send the head of cabbage to the microwave for another 5 minutes, after which you can easily peel the remaining leaves.
How to prepare cabbage for cabbage rolls in the microwave step by step instructions with photos:
Step 1
For work, we need cabbage, microwave dishes, a knife, a kitchen board, a food bag (you can use a large microwave dish with a lid instead of a bag).
