Vietnamese Boiled Cabbage (Bấp Cải Luộc)

Pour 5 c filtered water in a large pot and put it on the stove on high heat until it reaches boiling. We want just enough water to cover the cabbage.

Rinse the head of cabbage then cut in half. Cut 1/2 head cabbage in one direction, creating 1.5" strips, then cut crosswise, so we end up with bite sized pieces about 1.5" x 2".

Once the water is boiling, add half the cabbage to the pot for 2-4 minutes until tender and then remove with a strainer onto a plate. You can reserve the water used for boiling to drink as a soup. If not, you can use the water to boil eggs for the next step.

Dipping sauce

Get 2" of water in a small pot boiling on high heat, then add 1 egg. Lower the heat to a slow boil. After 7 minutes remove the egg and rinse under cold tap water for 30 seconds, then peel the egg..

Mash the hard-boiled egg in a shallow bowl and add 1 tbsp fish sauce and a small squeeze of fresh lime to taste. If you want an extra kick, add a bit of minced Thai chile pepper.

Adjust the sauce as needed, then simply dip the cabbage into the sauce as you eat. You can add more fish sauce if needed during the meal.