Cabbage Soup with Pork

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Due to the hot weather we’ve been experiencing here in California for the past few days I tried to distance myself from the kitchen. I’ve been eating my Mother homemade salty sun-dried fish with either watermelon or plain rice with water for the past several days now. Today the weather was a bit cooler and so I was happy to be back in the kitchen . I have a big head of cabbage left in the fridge and been waiting to make cabbage soup for a while now, this was the perfect time for me to make my yummy Cabbage Soup with Pork (Sngor Spey Sach Jrook) ស្ងោរស្ពីសាច់ជ្រូក. It was light and  flavorful.  D-E-L-I-C-I-O-U-S !

There are two variation to the soup. Both use the same ingredients but presented in different ways. Take your pick. The dumpling version will be the quick and easier version. The stuffed version will take some time. It does make a nice presentation though. You can also add bean threads in the pork mixture. If you have the time you can make a rich broth with pork or chicken bones. Another way to flavor the stock is by using dried shrimp.  The soup can be eaten alone or part of a meal.

Ingredients
½ cabbage leaves
4 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
toothpicks or green onions to secure roll
cilantro leaves for garnish

Pork stuffing/Dumplings
1 cup ground pork
1 tablespoon dried shredded wood-ear mushrooms, soaked in water til soften then chopped
1 stem green onion, chopped
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black paper
1 teaspoon fish sauce
1 tablespoon oyster sauce

Soup Stock
4 cups water
1 tablespoon sugar
½ chicken bouillon
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons fish sauce

Method for stuffed cabbage roll:
Start by blanching the cabbage leaves in hot boiling water with a little bit of salt until soft. Trim away hard stems and set aside.

To make the pork stuffing/dumplings combine chopped green onion, mushrooms, ground pork and remainder ingredients. Mix well.

Place one tablespoon of stuffing at the stem end of each leaf, and fold in the sides. If the leaves are small, you can layered them. Roll each leaf tightly, and secure with toothpick.

Make the stock by bringing 4 cups of water to a boil and add chicken bouillon. Add stuffed cabbage roll and cook in the stock for 5-10 minutes until tender. Then season with sugar, soy sauce and fish sauce.  Remove toothpick. Garnish with cilantro leaves before serving.

Method for cabbage soup with pork dumplings:
Follow the steps above for blanching the cabbage leaves. When it’s cool to the touch roll and slice the cabbage. Set in a bowl.

Prepare stock by adding all the ingredients in boiling water.

Combine ingredients for pork stuffing. Scoop out about 1 tablespoon of pork filling and roll into a ball. Drop into the stock. Cook about 10 minutes. To serve ladle pork dumplings into a bowl of shredded cabbage follow by some stock. Garnish with cilantro leaves.

…….. and if you happen to have left over stuffing you can turn it into another simple and delicious stir fry glass noodles. Using the same ingredients with the addition of mung bean noodles that has been soaked.