Malfouf Mahshi (Stuffed Cabbage rolls)
Cabbage leaves stuffed with meat and rice, cooked with garlic and mint
Ingredients
- 1 very large cabbage or 2 medium
- Boiling water for blanching
- 2 cups short grain rice
- 300 g ground beef or lamb or mix of both
- ½ tablespoon salt
- ½ teaspoon seven spice
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ cup regular olive oil
- 1 tablespoon tomato concentrate
- 1 bulb of garlic peeled
- 2 cups of water + 1 teaspoon of salt + 1 lemon (to make the brine)
- 2 -3 tablespoon pomegranate molasses
- ½ teaspoon of dried mint
Instructions
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Carefully separate the cabbage leaves trying not to rip them. Then in batches, add them to a pot of boiling water. Blanche for around five minutes until soft and set aside.
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When they have cooled, trim off the thick stems, and divide the very large leaves into half so they are around the size of your whole hand
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In a mixing bowl, add the ground meat, rice, seven spice, black pepper, cinnamon, ¼ cup of regular olive oil, the tomato concentrate and salt. Combine well and place on the table
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On a large plate, flatten out a cabbage leaf
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Take around 2 tablespoons of the stuffing and arrange in a cigar shape near the bottom of the cabbage leaf and simply roll up (see video)
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Peel a whole bulb of garlic and roughly slice. Scatter the garlic between the layers of cabbage rolls
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Prepare the brine by mixing 2 cups of water with 1 teaspoon of salt, and the juice of a whole lemon
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When you have finished rolling the cabbage leaves, place a heatproof plate on top and pour over the brine water
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Bring to the boil on high heat for around 20 minutes. Taste the brine water to see if you need to adjust the lemon/salt levels.
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Remove the plate and then reduce the heat to a medium low simmer and add a good drizzle of regular olive oil and another of pomegranate molasses, as well as the dried mint
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Cover with a lid and cook for another hour or so until the cabbage leaves are well done, tasting one malfouf roll before you turn the heat off