It is not recommended to eat a lot of cabbage during your confinement period as cabbage is termed as a ‘cooling’ vegetable which may not be good for the stomach of new mothers.
However, cabbage contains vitamin B, vitamin C, dietary fibre, calcium, iron and phosphorus which are very beneficial to the mother’s recovering body.
Preparation
When peeling the cabbages, cut off the roots first, and then peel them off one by one. Do not use the outermost leaves of the cabbages.
Rinse the leaves with running water. When cutting cabbages, do not cut along the direction of leaf veins, but cut at right angles to the leaf veins.
Preservation
The outer leaves can protect the inner leaves from damages, so do not remove the outer leaves. Wrap the cabbage in plastic wrap or newspaper and place it in a plastic bag, before storing it in the refrigerator.
When using cabbage to make baby-weaning food, dig out the heart and the surrounding hard parts, remove the outer leaves, and peel off the leaves for use.
It is best to cut off the stalks on the leaves to make it. Soft and tender baby weaning food is conducive to the baby’s consumption and digestion.
Best Cabbage Recipes for Your Confinement!
Stuffed Cabbage Rolls
Ingredients
- 6 cabbage slices
- 300 g ground meat
- 50 g water chestnuts
- 5 ml rice wine
- 5 ml sesame oil
- 5 g white pepper
- 5 g salt
- 150 ml water
Instructions
- Wash the water chestnuts thoroughly and then mince it. Wash the cabbage slices thoroughly and cook it in boiling water to make it soft.
- Mix the ground meat with minced water chestnuts, salt, white pepper, rice wine and sesame oil until it sticks together.
- Use a piece of cabbage slice to wrap around a portion of the ground meat stuffing until it looks like a roll. Repeat the rest.
- Fill up the pot with 150ml water, place the stuffed cabbage rolls in, close the lid and steam for 15 minutes. Open the lid and check if it is cooked thoroughly, extend the timer if necessary.
Chinese Cabbage Carrot Soup
Ingredients
- 200 g Chinese cabbage
- 80 g carrots
- 200 g tofu
- 5 ml cooking oil
- 10 g coriander minced
- 5 g salt
- 20 g green onions chopped
Instructions
- Remove the peel of Chinese cabbage, tofu and carrots. Rinse and cut into long pieces, then blanch it for later use.
- Heat up the pan with cooking oil, sauté the green onions until fragrant, add 500ml of water, carrots, tofu into the pot.
- Turn up to high heat and bring it to a boil before adding the Chinese cabbage into the pot.
- Once it is boiled, turn down the heat and let it simmer until the carrots soften. Season it with salt and minced coriander before serving.
Sweet and Sour Chinese Cabbage
Ingredients
- 300 g Chinese cabbage
- 50 g carrots
- 5 g white sugar
- 10 g salt
- 15 ml soy sauce
- 5 ml vinegar
- 5 g cornstarch
Instructions
- Wash the Chinese cabbage and carrots, cut diagonally.
- Add white sugar, vinegar, salt, soy sauce and cornstarch into a bowl to make it into a sauce.
- Heat up the pan with cooking oil, stir-fry the Chinese cabbage and carrots until it is cooked thoroughly.
- Then, add the sauce in and mix it well before serving.
Sea Bass Soup with Chinese Cabbage
Ingredients
- 1 sea bass
- 2 stubs Chinese cabbage
- 3 slices ginger
- 5 g salt
- 15 ml cooking oil
- 10 g wolfberry
- 15 ml rice wine
Instructions
- Remove the guts and scales from the sea bass, rinse and dry the fish.
- Wash the Chinese cabbage thoroughly before removing the stem and cut it into half.
- Heat up the pan with cooking oil, pan fry both sides of the sea bass until yellowish. Add in the ginger slices, rice wine and 600ml water, then bring it to a boil. Once it is boiled, turn down the heat and let it simmer until the broth turns whitish.
- Add the Chinese cabbage in and cook it for 10 mins before adding the wolfberry and salt. Then, cook it for another 3 minutes before serving.
Try these nutritious recipes to maintain a healthy postpartum diet
The possibility of your postpartum recovery going smoothly also depends on what you eat as your confinement meals. So, new mummies need to start planning their confinement dishes by following healthy recipes.
You wouldn’t want to affect the healing process of your postpartum body and of supply of breast milk. Just remember to maintain a healthy postnatal diet and have enough rest!
Check out the varieties of confinement food among our diverse Malaysian cultures here.
For more insightful stories and fun recipes, stay tuned to Motherhood Story!