This hearty meal is made by stuffing boiled cabbage leaves with a mixture of ground meat, rice, and seasonings, and then cooking the rolls in a savory tomato sauce.
First, rinse the rice and transfer it to a small saucepan. Add 1.5 cups of water with 1 tsp olive oil and 1/2 tsp salt. Bring to a boil then reduce heat, cover and simmer for 10 min, or until all water is absorbed. (do not take the lid off). I preferred under-cooked rice because it will be cooked for another 40-50 minutes with the meat stuffing.
Fill 2/3 of a large (5 liters) soup pot with water and bring to a boil.
Remove black and withered cabbage leaves and discard.
Cut the cabbage cores out with a knife. Place cabbage in water, cork side down, for 5 minutes, then flip and cook for another 5-6 minutes.
As the leaves begin to soften, pull them off.
Tip: If the leaves are separated, they will cook faster.
When the leaves are finished, transfer them to a dish to cool.
When the leaves are soft and yellowish, they are ready, and bigger leaves will become pale green.
Leave that 2 cups of cabbage water, it will be a good sauce for the cabbage rolls.
Saute the vegetables:
In the big frying pan pour olive oil or other vegetable oil, and fry on medium-high heat grated carrots with the finely chopped onions until soffened and started to lightly brown. Turn off the heat, and left it aside.
Let's prepare the stuffing:
In a large mixing bowl combine mince of your choice, undercooked rice, all spices, 3 cloves of minced garlic, black pepper, salt to taste, or Vegeta Beef Stock & Seasoning Powder, 3/4 of sauteed vegetables, and remaining leave for the sauce.
Let's make the sauce for the cabbage rolls:
Take the previously remaining sauteed vegetables in the frying pan add some olive oil or other cooking oil add 3 tbsp tomato paste 1 minced garlic, bay leaves, salt, and pepper to taste. Fry for 2 to 3 minutes and add reserved cabbage water to the sauce. Let it boil for 3-4 minutes. Set aside.
Let's cut the cabbage leaves and filed them up:
To flatten the leaves for easy rolling, cut off the tough center vein of the cabbage. Fill each cabbage leaf with 1- 2 tbsp of the meat filling (depending on the size of your leaf, or how do you like, more or fewer filings). Apply the filling to the stem/bottom part. Wrap it like a burrito. Repeat the process until the leaves or meat filling is finished.
Let' 's cook the cabbage rolls:
There are a few ways to prepare this dish:
Method 1: Cook it slowly in a big pot for about an hour. If it's still tough, keep boiling until it's fully cooked.
Method 2: I prefer to first cook the stuffed cabbage in sauce in a pot over low heat for 40 minutes.
Then, move the stuffed cabbage to an oven-safe dish, pour the cabbage sauce over it, and bake for 15-20 minutes on the grill settings at 200 degrees Celsius.
Take it out of the oven and serve it hot with fresh herbs, Greek yogurt, or sour cream.
This dish can be stored in the fridge for up to 4-5 days and prepared ahead of time, 1-2 days before guests or family arrive.
Simply reheat it in the oven for a delicious and substantial meal for your entire family.
Tip: I personally like to add 30-35% fat cream all over the top before baking the dish, as it makes it juicy and gives it a beautiful color.
Enjoy!
8 servings
* The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.