A humble, everyday staple of Jamaican home cooking, steamed cabbage rose to popularity as an affordable, fast-cooking vegetable that pairs with almost anything. Mid-week it often appears alongside rice or "hard food," and a handful of saltfish turns the simple greens into a more substantial plate.
Sweet, crisp and lightly peppery, the cabbage keeps a satisfying bite while soaking up the aromatics. When saltfish is added, savory salty flecks make every mouthful more moreish.
Cooking the cabbage hot and fast under a lid steams it just enough to soften while retaining crunch and sweetness, avoiding the sulfurous flavors of overcooking. The aromatics bloom in oil first to layer flavor.
Variations
Steamed cabbage with saltfish, cabbage and carrot, cabbage with corned beef, plain steamed cabbage
On the Palate
Where Jamaican Steamed Cabbage sits in the Jamaican flavor cloud
Ingredients
Serves 4
How it's made
8 steps · 15 min
- 18 min
Finely shred the cabbage and julienne the carrot and bell pepper.
- 23 min
Heat oil and saute sliced onion, garlic and scallion until fragrant.
Watch outBloom the onion, garlic and scallion in the oil until fragrant before anything else — this aromatic base is what the quick-steamed cabbage rides on.
- 32 min
Add the carrot and bell pepper and cook a minute or two.
- 41 min
Add the shredded cabbage, thyme and a whole Scotch bonnet.
- 56 min
Cover and steam, tossing occasionally, until just crisp-tender.
Watch outSteam covered only until crisp-tender, tossing now and then — pull it while it still has bite and sweetness; cooked limp it turns sulfurous.
- 62 min
If using, fold in pre-soaked flaked saltfish to warm through.
- 71 min
Season with black pepper and salt, removing the Scotch bonnet.
- 81 min
Serve hot with rice, fried dumplings or festival.
