Tassajara Warm Red Cabbage Salad

Tassajara is a Buddhist monastery two hours away from San Francisco, located in a valley in Central California, off the coast of Big Sur. Aside from being a well-known zen training center, Tassajara is also famous for its mountains, the hot springs and its vegetarian cuisine.
The following recipe is taken and adapted from The Complete Tassajara Cookbook, more or less a new entry on my book shelves.
It may be a deceptive effect, but I promise you that one feels less guilty when buying a zen cooking book. And even when licking the pan at the end of the meal.

Tassajara Warm Red Cabbage Salad
for 3 people

sunflower seeds 1.2 oz or 1/4 cup
sugar 1/2 teaspoon
red onion 1/2
garlic 2 cloves
red cabbage 3/4 pound
raisins 1 oz.
feta or goat cheese, crumbled 4 oz, or to taste
salt, olive oil, rosemary, balsamic vinegar to taste

Roast the sunflower seeds in a non-stick pan for few minutes, until they're golden brown. Sprinkle with sugar and a pinch of salt, stir briefly until sugar is dissolved, then remove from heat. Get the seeds out of the pan and set aside (at the beginning, they're all stuck to each other, but as soon as they cool down, it'll be very easy to break them apart with your fingers). Soak the raisins in a little bit of warm water.
In a large skillet, heat a tablespoon of olive oil, sauté the garlic and the chopped onion until this becomes translucent, adding some water if necessary so that it won't stick to the bottom of the pan. Add the cabbage, cut into thin shreds, stir and cook for few minutes. Add some fresh rosemary, minced, drained raisins, two tablespoons of balsamic vinegar and adjust the seasoning. Cover the pan and keep cooking for 3 or 4 minutes, until the cabbage is softer. Add the sunflower seeds and the crumbled cheese, stir and serve.
If you'd like, you can also add some shredded Parmigiano cheese and fresh parsley. Instead of raisins, you can also use another kind of dried fruit, such as pears, apricots or peaches, soaked in warm water and coarsely chopped.