Cabbage rolls show up in a lot of cuisines — Eastern European, Middle Eastern, Chinese — each with its own filling and sauce. This version leans Filipino, using flavors already familiar here instead of the usual tomato sauce or sweet-sour dip.
For the wrapper, use pechay baguio — the pale green, tightly-headed cabbage (what Western recipes call Napa cabbage), not pechay Tagalog. Pick a head that's heavy for its size with tightly packed, unwilted leaves; those outer leaves are what you'll be wrapping with.
The filling itself is basically lumpiang shanghai: ground pork, carrot, onion, and garlic, bound with egg and cornstarch. What changes is the sauce — instead of the usual sweet-sour or banana ketchup dip, this one gets a savory ginger-garlic soy sauce poured over the top, which soaks into the leaf as it sits.
These are good to prep ahead, too. Assemble the rolls and keep them refrigerated, unsteamed, for up to a day before cooking. You can also freeze them raw and steam straight from frozen, just add a few extra minutes to the steaming time.
CABBAGE ROLLS
Make this Filipino take on cabbage rolls: pechay baguio wrapped around a classic lumpiang shanghai filling, steamed and sauced.
SAUCE
Blanch cabbage: Boil water in a large pot over medium-high heat. Once boiling, blanch cabbage leaves for 2-3 minutes or until pliable. Transfer to an ice bath then pat dry.
Mix filling: Combine pork, carrot, onion, garlic, egg, cornstarch, soy sauce, sesame oil, white pepper, and salt in a large bowl. Mix by hand until combined and slightly sticky. Test fry a small piece and taste. Adjust seasoning as needed.
Wrap rolls: Lay a leaf flat, stem facing you. Place 2-3 tbsp of filling at the base. Fold bottom over then fold in the side, roll away from you into a tight cylinder.
Steam rolls: Arrange rolls seam side down in a steamer, leaving space in between. Steam until filling is cooked through and firm to the touch, about 17-20 minutes.
Make sauce: Heat oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Sauté ginger until fragrant and just starting to crisp, then add garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
Simmer: Add soy sauce, oyster sauce, water and sugar. Bring to a gentle simmer. Stir in slurry and simmer for another minute until thick and glossy.
Serve: Arrange rolls on a plate, pour sauce over, and garnish with sliced green onions.
