Spicy Cabbage, Russian Style

It’s the spicy, hot, sweet and sour flavors we love!

   Ingredients

• 4-6 strips bacon, cut into 1/4 inch slices
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 1 head cabbage, not too large, about 7 inches across, roughly chopped
• 2 Tablespoons caraway seeds
• 1/4 cup brown sugar 
• 5 whole allspice
• 2 bay leaves
• ½ teaspoon whole mustard seeds
• ½ teaspoon hot pepper seeds/flakes
• 1  28 oz. can tomatoes, chopped
• 1  15 oz can sauerkraut, slightly drained 
• 1/2 cup ketchup

Directions

1. Sauté bacon in a large cooking pot
2. Add onion and saute until translucent
3. Add cabbage and stir.
4. Add brown sugar and spices and stir.
5. Add tomatoes and sauerkraut
6. Add ketchup
7. Bring to a boil and then lower to a simmer 1 hour, stirring it up often.
8. Taste it as it cooks and add more spices as desired.

If it’s too spicy for you, add more tomatoes and or cabbage

The original recipe was from Grandma Korzin, but Aunt Olga and my Mom taught me to make it. Aunt Olga would make it for Thanksgiving every year at her home. We each developed our own version of this recipe, including my Mom, Sonia.  Grandma was from the Minsk region of Belarus.