golubtsi - ukrainian stuffed cabbage

Golubtsi is almost synonymous with Ukraine to me. It is something my grandmother made a lot. She loves to cook, but unfortunately for me, her food is not very vegan-friendly, it's not even vegetarian-friendly. For this reason, many dishes were more like a chore to eat, including golubtsi. Still, watching her in the kitchen was my first encounter with the magic of cooking. I remember the fascination when I watched her make my favorite desserts, such as waffle nuts filled with Ukrainian dulce de leche, back when I was just a small kid. 

Traditional Ukrainian cuisine is very meat obsessed which is why it can be quite difficult to veganize some of the recipes especially if it has not been done before to the point that would satisfy my cravings. 

There were times when I ate things that I cannot even look at now. I think for a very long time I tried to get used to meat dishes and for a while, I thought there was no other option and I had to adapt to the food available to me. This is why beginning to cook myself has been such a liberating experience. 

Before going vegan I sometimes felt sad to know that I would never eat things like pelmeni, Chicken Kyiv, or sausage rolls ever again. 

Yes, it was not a typo - before going vegan and not after. For instance, in the case of Ukrainian sausage rolls -  I could say they helped me get through high school and university. But they were more like a means to an end, for times when there was nothing else that was filling enough for me to find as a snack. And, honestly, the selection at the cafeterias was not that great. So, it is somewhat of a contradicting situation - on one hand the sausage rolls were this food I could rely on to be there, to be available. And therefore I ate it. On the other hand, I was left with an uneasy feeling of knowing just what exactly I was eating. And so, over time this became a memory I was not proud of, something I wanted to forget. 
Until going vegan. Then all the doors in the world opened up to me and I could see that there are many other things that I, myself, can process into a sausage and don't have to feel uneasy or guilty for eating it. 

Now I realize that being a picky eater was not a character flaw but my body showing what it needs (and doesn't need) from an early age. Still, not all meat is the same in terms of taste and texture and so there were some dishes I could tolerate and some dishes I even liked a lot if prepared a certain way. I will not go too deeply into this, as in the likely case you are vegan I don't want to open up any old wounds, I just want to say that things like Chicken Kyiv (which I ate on very rare occasions) and other dishes that involved chicken breasts were my go-to dishes when vegetarian options weren't available. And in Poltava, sadly that was often the case. It must have gotten somewhat better now but a decade ago especially the most traditional restaurants would have meat in every dish. I remember one time visiting a restaurant just outside of Poltava during a family outing. Not only did the menu have meat in every dish but also it was pork, no chicken or other types of meat available at all. Even knowing how meat-obsessed Ukrainian cuisine is it was still a bit shocking because by opting out for mostly foreign cuisines daily I have managed to create a bubble for myself where I was just on the edge of vegetarian/non-vegetarian to the point that was sustainable enough for me. 

How excited I am that veganism has gotten so popular now. The little child in me is absolutely thrilled over things like soy yogurt, oat milk, seitan sausages, and mushroom shawarmas. All of these things and more would have made my childhood much more happy. Well, I am making up for lost time now. 

I believe that the option of veganism creates a better world for everyone involved. And among the reasons I try to veganize Ukrainian recipes is to find a way to belong in my culture again. 

Now going back to today's recipe. Traditionally golubtsi have ground meat in them, but this version of course is completely cruelty-free and in my humble opinion much more delicious. Golubtsi is something that is extra challenging for me. Because it also features a Ukrainian staple that I have always disliked - cooked cabbage. This is why in trying to make something I could be proud of I chose to use Savoy cabbage instead of the most commonly used - regular white Ukrainian cabbage. Not only does that make sense in Germany because Savoy cabbage is very popular and available everywhere but also because of its crinkled leaves it gives a better texture to the cooked golubtsi and takes the whole dish to a new level. 

So, buckle up for a dish that has been around for many generations and is an absolute must in a Ukrainian home. But this time, veganized!

Tips and notes:

• Use my tofu mince for this recipe. Otherwise if using store-bought mince add some spices to your taste to it. 
• Use the outer leaves of Savoy cabbage for this recipe as I think the greenest and the largest leaves look the best and give the best texture. 
• It will depend on the size of the cabbage, how many leaves you will need. 

Vegan Golubtsi - Ukrainian Stuffed Cabbage