In our household the only way we make cabbage is the braised Indian way. There is no other way and it always the white cabbage never the purple one.

I was watching My Kitchen rules Season 2 when I saw Maj, one of the contestants make a red cabbage dish. I can’t exactly remember what she put in her dish or what it was called, but I was really intrigued to try it out. I never managed to get my hands on the recipe and I completely forgot about the dish.

Until I entered a Kerry Gold competition and I was announced the Winner for the month of March and the prize was a recipe book and an apron. How lucky am I?

My dad was paging through the book and he seemed so excited and kept hinting that he can’t wait for me to try out the recipes from this book, they all look so delicious.

When I was paging through the book, I just handed to stumble across a recipe for braised red cabbage, I am not sure if this is what Maj was making but it looked similar in appearance, so I gave it a shot.

It was super easy to make and real fun especially when I pour in fruit juice in front of my father and his eyes grew big with concern as to what on earth I was planning on feeding him.

When lunch came around and he saw the cabbage he skipped over it, because I can’t keep my mouth quiet I asked him why, he told me he thought I was making it for Monday…. Mmm then why would I put in on the Sunday lunch table?

He didn’t really want to eat it, but you know me, I kept pestering him till he dished a half of a teaspoon onto his plate. He was like why the purple cabbage, couldn’t you just have used the white… talking about complaining and stubborn as an OX. I told him that is what the recipe asked for and he should be happy he crying that he wanted me to make dishes from my recipe book and I did and now his complaining. His sulky response was yes, I do want you to make stuff from the book but not this.

I tell you my father has an answer for everything. Sometimes when I see him sulking at the head of the table he reminds me of the male kids in out family. So full of nonsense when it comes to what they put in their stomachs. They are ruled by their gut instincts I tell you.

All in all I loved this dish and the colour was so vibrant. I was afraid the colour would drain out as it boiled.

Not only did this dish bring back a My Kitchen Rules memory, it brought back an old old olllllddd childhood memory of sitting on the table watching my gran peel the apple with a knife. Watching her to see how long she could make the peel before it broke. I was bad at peeling back then and guess what I still suck!

Ingredients:

• 50g x Kerry Gold butter.
• 1 x small red/ purple cabbage, finely shredded.
• 2 x red onions, thinly sliced
• 2 x apples, peeled, cored and grated.
• 2 x cups pomegranate juice.
• 2 x tbsp. brown balsamic vinegar.
• 4 x tbsp. light brown sugar.
• ½ x tsp cinnamon powder.
• ½ x tsp mixed spice power.
• A good pinch of clove powder.
• Salt and pepper to season.

Method:

• Place the butter in a deep pot and allow the butter to melt on a medium heat.
• Add the cabbage and onions and mix.
• Allow the cabbage to wilt and become soft.
• Add the apples, juice, spices, sugar and vinegar.
• Toss to mix everything nicely.
• Allow the mixture to come to the boil.
• Keeping the heat on medium allow it to simmer and boil for about an hour or till all the liquid has cooked away.