Yield: 4 servings

• ½ medium green (or red) cabbage (about 1 pound)
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal), divided
• 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes (or ½ of a 28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes, crushed by hand)
• 1 ½ teaspoons cumin seeds
• 2 medium shallots, sliced
• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• ½ teaspoon ground coriander
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ⅛ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 tablespoon Aleppo pepper or Urfa biber (or about ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes)

• ¼ cup well-stirred tahini
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon pure maple syrup
• 1 garlic clove, grated or crushed with a press
• ⅛ teaspoon ground cumin
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal), plus more to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 3 to 4 tablespoons ice water, plus more as needed

For Serving ½ cup fresh cilantro (or flat-leaf parsley) leaves and tender stems, chopped

Freshly squeezed lemon juice

Step 1 Cut the cabbage half lengthwise through the core to get four wedges.

Step 2 Heat a large well-seasoned cast-iron skillet or heavy-bottomed pan for which you have a lid over medium-high. Add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Once shimmering, add the cabbage, cut sides down, and season with ½ teaspoon of the salt. Using tongs, move the wedges back and forth gently to ensure they’re evenly coated in the oil, and cook until browned on the bottom, 5 to 7 minutes. Carefully flip, sprinkle with the remaining ½ teaspoon salt, and cook until browned on the other side, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer the wedges to a plate. Take the pan off the heat to cool for 5 to 10 minutes (do some prep or cleanup in the meantime).

Step 3 Stir the maple syrup into the canned tomatoes. Set aside.

Step 4 Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in the same pan over medium heat. Add the cumin seeds and cook, tossing frequently, until they are aromatic and darker in color, 1 minute. Add the shallots and garlic and cook for 2 minutes, until the shallots starts to soften. Add the paprika, coriander, cinnamon, nutmeg and Aleppo pepper and cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently. If needed, add a drizzle of oil if things seem dry.

Step 5 Reduce the heat to medium-low. Pour in the tomato mixture with all the juices, stir, and carefully nestle the wedges back into the pan. Cover and simmer until the cabbage is tender and the tomatoes have thickened a bit, 8 to 10 minutes, opening the lid once to check if the tomatoes are drying up (if so, add a few splashes of water).

Make the tahini sauce while the cabbage is simmering: Step 6 In a medium bowl, whisk together the tahini, lemon juice, maple syrup, garlic, cumin, salt and pepper to taste. Add the ice water a tablespoon at a time, whisking as you go. It will get stiff at first but eventually will become creamy yet pourable. Taste for seasonings, adding more salt as desired.

To serve: Step 7 Serve the cabbage straight from the pan. Top with cilantro and a squeeze of lemon juice. Spoon some tahini sauce generously on top and serve more on the side.

Tips You can make the tahini sauce up to 1 week in advance.

To make this a full meal, stir in 1 (15-ounce) can of chickpeas, rinsed, ½ teaspoon kosher salt and a glug of extra virgin olive oil after adding the cabbage wedges to the tomato sauce. Simmer for 12 minutes, until the sauce has thickened a bit.