This dish has just two main ingredients: cabbage and square-cut pasta. All its flavor comes from patiently browning the cabbage, uncovered, over 35 minutes. Sugar is caramelized in oil at the start, and the cabbage cooks in that caramel, so the sweetness comes from two layers of caramelization rather than added sugar. A generous amount of black pepper is the only counterpoint to the sweetness.
Remove the tough core and cut the cabbage leaves into 5 mm-wide strips. Rub them with half the salt, put them in a colander, and weigh them down with a bowl. Slice the onion into thin half-moons.
Heat the sunflower oil and butter in a wide skillet, sprinkle in the granulated sugar, and leave it undisturbed. The sugar will first melt and turn clear, then become dark amber around the edges. Move to the next step as soon as it darkens; burned sugar tastes bitter.
Add the onion slices to the caramel. It will briefly harden, then dissolve again as the onion releases its moisture; this is normal. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until the onion softens and takes on the caramel color. Add the cumin seeds at this stage.
Add the squeezed cabbage to the skillet and cook uncovered over medium-low heat, turning it every 5 minutes. It will first shrink to half its volume, then develop dark brown spots around the edges. The 35 minutes cannot be shortened; this is where the dish gets its flavor. If the pan gets dry, add two spoonfuls of water.
Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta for 1 minute less than the package directions, reserving a ladleful of pasta water before draining. Keep the pasta al dente; it will heat through once more with the cabbage in the skillet.
Add the drained pasta to the skillet and toss it with the cabbage. If it seems dry, add some of the reserved pasta water. Drizzle in the apple cider vinegar and grind in plenty of black pepper; it is the only thing that balances the sweetness, so do not skimp. Taste and adjust the remaining salt, then serve hot.
After slicing the cabbage into strips, rub it with salt and leave it in a colander for 20 minutes, then squeeze out the liquid. Cabbage that releases water into the pan will steam instead of brown.
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