Kapusta

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Kapusta [kah-POOS-tah], the Polish and the Slovak word for cabbage, is a popular dish in Polish cooking and Slovak cooking. Its primary ingredient has been pickled into sauerkraut [1][2] and, in some places, kapusta simply refers to this plain sauerkraut. But in many other homes, this base is frequently amplified with a mix of mushrooms and onions, and that is what is meant by the term kapusta. Some cooks also add meat (usually pork, either rib meat or bacon),[3], resulting in what is often called bigos.

In some homes, kapusta is served very thin, almost like a soup. In others, its ingredients are cooked until it becomes nearly as thick as mashed potatoes.

Kapusta is less ubiquitous in Polish cooking than kimchi is in Korean cuisine, but both serve a similar role in adding bulk to the meal and a background flavor that other foods play off of.