Stuffed Cabbage Rolls (Malfouf)

Ingredients

• 3 kg cabbage head

• 2 cups rice, thoroughly rinsed

• 1/2 kg ground lamb, minced

• 1 tablespoon cumin

• 1 teaspoon allspices

• 2 tablespoon salt, divided

• 1/4 cup vegetable oil

• 2 heads of garlic, peeled and largely chopped

• 1 cube of chicken stock

• 1/4 cup lemon juice

Preparation

1. Remove damaged outer leaves from the cabbage. Using long knife, cut the core off of the cabbage head. Carefully, peel away cabbage leaves one by one. Place cabbage leaves in a deep pot of boiling water. Keep them in the boiling water under medium heat for about 2 minutes, then flip the batch of leaves over and leave them for another 2 minutes until they become tender. Set them aside to let drain.

2. For stuffing: in a bowl, add rinsed rice, meat, cumin, allspices, 1 tablespoon salt, and vegetable oil. Mix altogether until well combined.

3. For rolling process: cut each cabbage leaf into about 10 cm X 15 cm sheets (that may take different shapes according to the leaf shape). Cut off large stalks of each leaf and place them in the bottom of a large cooking pot. Place each sheet on a smooth surface. Add about one tablespoon of stuffing to each sheet and then spread it across the sheet leaving some space in the edges. Roll sheet forward toward stuffing (it’s okay to leave the roll edges open). Squeeze the roll using your hand and place it in the pot. Repeat for each sheet until you fill half of the pot.

4. Add half quantity of the chopped garlic. Continue to layer up the pot with cabbage rolls. Add the remaining amount of garlic, 1 tablespoon of salt, and cube of stock. Cover cabbage rolls by water (same level of the rolls) and place the pot over a medium heat until water is boiling. Cover the pot, reduce the heat to the minimum and let simmer for about 45 minutes until the rice is fully cooked. Add lemon juice 15 minutes before cooking time is up. Serve hot with extra lemon chunks.

Lara Kh.