What’s left in the kitchen? – Fusion Cabbage Spring Roll Surprise

I haven’t properly grocery shopped in a while b/c of work taking over my life, but I finally had a chance to cook tonight and was too lazy to make it to the store. Luckily, my previous weeks’ over purchasing left me with some interesting ingredients to try to turn into a meal. Check the video below for the evolution of this dish as I rummaged about my kitchen and threw things together into this yummy dish now to be known as Fusion Cabbage Spring Roll Surprise!

Ingredients:

• 2 skinless, boneless chicken thighs or breasts, fat removed
• 1/2 lb fresh spinach
• 1/2 apple
• 2 TBSP garlic
• 1 TBSP miso
• 1 TBSP curry powder
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• 1 tsp coarse ground black pepper
• 1 cup orange juice
• 2 tsp dried basil
• 8 napa cabbage leaves
• 8 rice papers
• sticky rice

1. Cook the spinach – heat up a wok with 1 TBSP minced garlic, 1 TBSP miso & olive oil til garlic is sizzling. Add spinach, dash curry powder and cook down, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and pour into blender. Add 1/2 cup OJ and blend. Set aside in a bowl.
2. Chop & marinate the chicken – chop chicken into 1/2 inch cubes and add to a bowl. Add 1 TBSP curry powder, 1 tsp nutmeg, 1 tsp coarse ground black pepper, 1/2 cup OJ, 2 tsp dried basil and stir to mix. Let marinate about 10-15 min while you prepare the next steps.
3. Chop the apple into small dice
4. Blanch the cabbage – Chop off the last 1/2 inch of the napa cabbage head and separate the leaves into a bowl of cold water. Wash thoroughly and let drain in a colander. Heat up about 1 inch of water in a pot to boiling. Add the cabbage leaves and cook about 2 min. Drain in colander and set aside.
5. Cook 2 cups of rice in a rice cooker with 3 cups of water.
6. Cook the chicken – Heat up the same wok (no need to wash) with 1 TBSP minced garlic and olive oil. Add chicken when garlic sizzling. Careful to drain off the marinade. Stir while cooking and pour out excess liquid as needed. Once chicken is cooked through, about 7 min, add the diced apples and cook another 2 min. Remove from heat and place in a bowl for assembly.
7. Roll the rolls! – On a plate, place the wet rice paper, a napa cabbage leaf with the frilly end facing away from you. Add a scoop of rice, some chicken/apple mix, and some of the spinach sauce and roll like a spring roll or a burrito.

Now you are ready to chow on this very healthy, delicious meal packed full of flavor and nutrients. I gluttonously ate 3 for dinner after I turned off the camera. nom nom nom!