Hello Everyone!
As you may have noticed already, we love our “dolma”! If you already tried and loved stuffed grape leaves, stuffed cabbage leaves is just for you. I won’t lie, it is a bit challenging and time consuming but you can be sure that it will worth it. Stuffed cabbage leaves can be made both with meat and olive oil. This recipe is with meal but I can also share olive oil version if you request. Just try it and you will love love love!
Stuffed Cabbage Leaves
Ingredients
For the stuffing:
- 350 gr. 0,8 lb. ground beef
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic
- 1/3 cup rice
- 1/3 cup fine bulgur
- 5-6 spring parsley, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp. Tomato paste
- 1 full tsp. Sweet pepper paste
- 2 tbsp. Margarine
- 1 full tsp. Salt
- 1 tsp. Black pepper
- 1/2 cup water
For the sauce:
- 1 tbsp. Tomato paste
- 3-4 cup water (according to stuffed cabbage leaves amount)
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 tbsp. Fresh lemon juice
- Dried mint
For the top:
- 3-4 tsp. Margarine
- 1 tbsp. Vegetable oil
- Salt (if necessary)
- 1 tsp. Black pepper
- 1 tsp. Sugar
Instructions
Boiling leaves:
- Tear the leaves of your cabbage, put them in vinegar water, wait about 5 minutes and wash them.
- Boil about 3-4 lt. (12-16 cup) water.
- Add 3-4 leaves of cabbage to your pot at a time. Dip your leaves into the water with a ladle. Cook your leaves until it will be half transparent. Take your boiled leaves with a ladle wash them with cold water and put aside.
- Repeat this procedure for all cabbage leaves.
Stuffing:
- Add all your 350 gr. (0,8 lb.) ground beef, 1 finely chopped onion, 1 clove garlic, 1/3 cup rice, 1/3 cup fine bulgur, 5-6 finely chopped spring parsley, 1 tbsp. Tomato paste, 1 full tsp. Sweet pepper paste, 2 tbsp. Margarine, 1 full tsp. Salt, 1 tsp. Black pepper in a container and knead about 5 minutes.
- Pour 1/2 cup water to your stuffing and knead five minutes more to make it more homogeneous.
Preparation:
- Cut your boiled into 3 or 4 according to their sizes.
- Put 1 tbsp. of stuffing on your cabbage leave. First fold the sides and then roll it over.
- Repeat the same for all your stuffed cabbage leaves.
- Align some unusable cabbage leaves on a large pot.
- Put your stuffed cabbage leaves firmly to the pot.
- Pour over your 1 tbsp. Vegetable oil, Salt (if necessary), 1 tsp. Black pepper, 1 tsp. Sugar on your pot and put 3-4 tbsp. Margarine around.
- Take a medium bowl to make your sauce. Add 1 tbsp. Tomato paste, 2 cloves garlic, 2 tbsp. Fresh lemon juice, Dried mint to your bowl and stir it with 3-4 cup water (according to stuffed cabbage leaves amount) until it combines very well.
- The sauce level should be 2 fingers longer than your stuffed cabbage leaves level.
- Pour your sauce over your pot and turn your pot around a couple of times so the sauce covers everywhere.
- Put a plate on your pot, cover the lid and cook your stuffed cabbage leaves for about 45-60 minutes.
- Check the water level occasionally.
What do you think about that? Have you tried stuffed cabbage leaves recipe yet? Please comment and share your experience. Or are you craving for another Turkish food that you want its recipe from me? You can always contact me from here.
Enjoy!