bBQ’d cabbage parcel & biriyani
Recipe by: Simone Watts - Farmer & Executive Chef at Barragunda
This is a great dish to prepare for Winter BBQ’s when you have friends coming over as it can be made the day prior and simply grilled on the day. Just make sure you take it out of the fridge a couple of hours prior to the inner grains come to room temperature.
- Autumn, Winter
25 Minutes
30 Minutes
4 People
- 8 small carrots (tops on), varieties such as Paris market or little finger work well
1 sugarloaf cabbage
Mix of 100ml Olive oil, 1/2 tbs salt, ½ tbs garam masala for glazing - Biriyani
1 cup barley
80ml oil
1 shallot, diced
3 cloves garlic, chopped
½ tbs chopped ginger
½ tbs ground cumin
½ tbs ground coriander
½ tbs ground turmeric
½ tbs garam masala
1 tbs natural yoghurt
½ cup flaked almonds, toasted
750ml veg stock or water
1 tsp Salt and
½ tsp black pepper
- Equipment
2 medium pots (one with a lid)
Twine
BBQ (wood is always best, but this will work on a gas BBQ also)
Scissors - Method
– Soak barley overnight in water allowing enough for the barley to double in size.
– Put a medium pot of salted water on the stove and bring to the boil.
– Remove the inner core of the cabbage, then carefully remove the leaves ensuring they stay whole and intact. You won’t need the entire cabbage for this recipe, only about 5 large outer leaves, save the tender core for a slaw or salad.
– Once boiling, blanch the cabbage leaves a few at a time then refresh in iced water before transferring to a towel to drain off the excess liquid.
– Whilst the cabbage drains, wash your carrots but keep the tops on.
– Using a medium sized pot with a lid, add the oil then fry off the diced shallot, garlic, and ginger until lightly browned and fragrant.
– At this stage turn down the heat and add the spices ensuring you keep stirring so they don’t burn.
– After a few minutes add the yoghurt to deglaze the pot, then add the barley, stock and seasoning.
– Take your carrots and sit them in the liquid with the green stems hanging over the edge (I tie them around the saucepan lid so they don’t catch on fire!).
– Pop the lid on to secure the stems and steam the barley for approximately 10 minutes until all the liquid is absorbed and the grains are tender.
– Once tender, turn off the heat and let the barley/carrots sit with the lid on whilst you prepare the cabbage.
– In a bowl dress your cabbage with a little of the salt/oil/spice mix and lay 2 or 3 leaves out overlapping to create a base for your parcel.
– Remove the carrots from the barley and set aside, then spoon the barley into the centre of the cabbage.
– Arrange the carrots on the centre of the barley, with the green tops aligned straight up (they’ll be used to hand your parcel later)
– Use another piece of blanched cabbage to sit over the top of the biriyani mix so your able to tuck up the sides and seal it as a parcel.
– Use twine to tie the parcel in place, then tie another couple of knots around the green tops, leaving a length that allows you to tie the package to a bean above your BBQ.
– If you only have a gas BBQ, you can cut off the tops and simply grill the parcel on the grill for this next step, however hanging it above a fire to smoke for half an hour before lowering to the grill gives it an extra hit of flavour.
– If you have a fire pit, use the string and hook to hang the parcel over your fire pit, basting occasionally with the remaining oil mix. After about half an hour, cut the parcel off about 2 inches inch from the top of the carrots and lower the parcel directly onto the grill over coals.
– Cook the package until the cabbage is caramelised nicely then transfer the package to a plate.
– Use scissors to snip the parcel open straight down the centre.
– Serve alongside some raita and your favourite curry!