Polish · Authentic-ish Polish
Mloda Kapusta Young Cabbage with Dill
113 kcal a serving, against 232 for the traditional version. That is 119 kcal off, or 51%, with 7g of protein. Serves 4. 40 minutes.
What the traditional version is
Spring cabbage braised with a heap of butter, smoked bacon or lardons, onion and a mountain of fresh dill. Finished with a pinch of sugar and sometimes soured cream. Served as a side or - if you're honest with yourself - as the main event on a Tuesday.
What changed, and what each change costs
Smoked bacon and butter swapped for a small amount of turkey bacon
Bacon and butter make up most of the calories and all the fat. Turkey bacon lets you keep just enough smoke and salt that it still tastes like the real thing, while ditching the worst of the grease.
What it costs you. The bacon's a whisper rather than a shout, and you won't get that big silky gloss from the butter. If you want a treat, you'll miss the crispy bits at the bottom of the pan.
No butter or soured cream, potato starch used to thicken
With the butter out, you lose the body in the sauce. A little potato starch gives you a thicker, silkier finish, so it coats the cabbage without half a block of butter hiding in the bottom.
What it costs you. There's no buttery aroma, and the finish isn't as rich. You don't get the dairy tang, so it's all about the cabbage and dill. If that's not enough, you might want to look away now.
Loads more dill, less sugar
Bulking up on dill and cutting down on sugar makes it fresher and greener, not sticky and sweet. It keeps the springtime feel of the dish and gives you something to bite into.
What it costs you. If you don't love dill, you're in trouble. The sweetness is way down, so it's not as comforting as grandma's, but it's a fair price for feeling less sluggish after lunch.
The numbers
| Per serving | Traditional | Lightened |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 232 | 113 |
| Protein | 9.4g | 7g |
| Fat | 14.4g | 1.7g |
| Saturated fat | 8.2g | 0.5g |
| Carbohydrate | 19.5g | 20.1g |
| Protein per 100 kcal | 4.1g | 6.2g |
Every figure is computed from the recipe's own weighed ingredient list against public food composition databases. The appendix in Authentic-ish Polish prints the exact database row used for each ingredient, so any number here can be checked.
The method is in the book
The truth: it's never going to taste as good as the full bacon-and-butter original. But you do get something fresh, green and properly spring-like. With more dill and less grease, you can eat a proper serving for lunch and not spend the rest of the day picking at your teeth. If you want the real punch of bacon and a buttery sheen, go make grandma's and don't tell your GP. It isn't Sunday lunch, it's the Thursday-night version, but that's still a win in my book.
The quantities and the method for this dish are in Authentic-ish Polish, along with 56 more. It is not out yet. The swap kit is free in the meantime.