I’ll start off by saying that people either love or hate this dish. I grew up eating it, and don’t mind it if it’s made correctly. By correctly, I mean with fresh flavorful meat and adequate spices. Otherwise, the cabbage flavor becomes overwhelming and not pleasant. This is a very traditonal dish eaten all over the Balkans during the Spring and Summer months.

There are 2 types of cabbage stews/dishes: sladak (fresh/sweet) kupus (eaten in the spring/summer) and kiseli (pickled) kupus (eaten during the winter months).

Although the word “sladak” means sweet, this dish is definitely savory. The cabbage is referred to as sweet because it’s fresh, while kiseli kupus is pickled cabbage. These days, there are supermarkets that carry out of season produce year-round, but my ancestors only ate what was seasonally available in their garden or cellar, so pickled cabbage in the winter months was, and still is, a staple.

(Check out my Sarma recipe if you’re interested in other ways to use pickled cabbage)

I like to make my Sladak Kupus with chicken, but you can use whatever kind of meat you’d like, or none at all. I personally think the meat gives it a richer, deeper flavor so I always use meat in mine. If you’re like me and like to stir things, you’ll need to have some restraint. Because the leaves are so delicate, this dish is stirred only a few times to ensure the leaves aren’t torn and become mushy.

Here’s my very simple Sladak Kupus recipe. Look for my pickled cabbage version in the coming months!

Sladak Kupus sa Piletinom / Cabbage Stew with Chicken

Recipe by The Balkan HostessCuisine: Serbian, Balkan

Servings

servings

Prep time

minutes

Cooking time

minutes

A traditional spring/summer dish from the Balkans.

Ingredients

1 medium head of cabbage, chopped into large pieces
2 medium carrots, chopped
4 green onions, diced
2-3 small fresh tomatoes
1 tablespoon (14 g) tomato paste
3 tablespoons (51 g) Vegeta
4 chicken thighs
3 tablespoons (45 ml) oil (I use sunflower)
2 tablespoons (16 g) flour
2 tablespoons (16 g) paprika (aleva paprika)
2 bay leaves
Salt
Pepper

Directions

In a large soup pot, add half of your chopped cabbage. On top of the cabbage, lay down the chicken thighs. Sprinkle the meat with half of the Vegeta, 1 tsp of salt, and a pinch of black pepper.
Add carrots, green onions, bay leaves, tomatoes, and tomato paste on top of the meat. Cover with the remaining chopped cabbage and sprinkle everything with the remaining Vegeta.
Pour enough water to fill your pot halfway to the top. Don’t fill all the way to the top as the cabbage will release its juices.
Cover and cook the cabbage on medium heat for 30 minutes, periodically using a wooden spoon to press down the cabbage. Carefully check that nothing has stuck to the pot by running your wooden spoon against the bottom. Do not stir it yet.
After 30 minutes, check on your water level. Ensure the cabbage has released enough juice. Your pot should be at least 3/4 full. If not, add water. Reduce the heat to low, but maintain a slow simmer.
In a saucepan or skillet, heat the oil until glistening. Add in the flour and stir to slightly cook the flour. Add in the paprika and turn off the heat. Stir well to combine the ingredients and very carefully pour into the cabbage. Stir carefully to combine.
Note: When the hot oil hits the water, it will sizzle. This is normal, so be careful and slowly pour in the oil.
Taste and adjust for seasoning according to taste.

Notes

This dish is usually eaten by using a slotted spoon to remove the cabbage and meat from the broth and then just a little bit of the liquid is added to the plate.

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