Braised Cabbage in Tamari sauce and Tahini Dressing
These cabbage wedges braised in a delicious tamari-sesame sauce mixture and drizzled with creamy homemade tahini dressing are seasoned with umami and savory goodness from the sauce and creamy nuttiness of the tahini is just out-of-this-world delicious!
Peel the outer layer of the cabbage off if it looks dirty. Cut the cabbage down the core and into 6-7 wedges.
Heat a large oven-safe skillet (with high sides) with the canola or vegetable oil over medium heat. Carefully place the cabbage pieces into the skillet and sear on each side for 3-5 minutes until caramelized, then turn off the heat. If your pan is on the smaller side, sear the cabbage wedges in batches and then return all the cabbage wedges to the pan once all batches are seared.
While the cabbage is cooking, make the sauce. In a medium bowl, whisk together the minced garlic, sesame oil, tamari soy sauce, salt, red pepper flakes, pepper, and water. Pour the tamari-sesame sauce mixture over the cooked cabbage pieces in the skillet. Carefully tilt the skillet and using a spoon, spoon the sauce a few times over any areas of the cabbage that didn’t get well coated.
Cover the skillet with an oven-safe lid or foil and bake for 30 minutes in the center rack of the oven. Then, carefully remove the lid/foil and bake at 425°F for 15 minutes.
Remove the pan from the oven and set it on a wire cooling rack. Carefully, spoon the remaining hot liquid from the bottom of the pan onto the cabbage wedges a few times. Let it cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.
While the cabbage cools, make the tahini dressing by whisking all the ingredients together in a medium bowl. Add more water as needed until you’ve reached a creamy drizzle consistency.
When ready to serve, spoon any remaining liquid over the cabbage a few times. Then, drizzle the tahini dressing over the cabbage and sprinkle with chopped parsley and toasted sesame seeds. Enjoy!
Notes
If your cabbage is around 3 lb, don’t worry about increasing the sauce or tahini dressing – that isn’t necessary. Just make the recipe as is.
Make sure that the cabbage wedges are dry before searing them or they will turn soggy instead of crunchy.
Do not overcrowd the pan when searing. If your pan is on the smaller side, sear the cabbage wedges in batches and then return all the cabbage wedges to the pan once all batches are seared.
*How to toast sesame seeds:
Place white sesame seeds into a small pan or pot on the stove.
Turn the heat to medium and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently with a rubberspatula or wooden spoon until golden and fragrant.
Once sesame seeds look toasted and golden, turn off the heat and immediately remove them from the pan so they don’t burn.