Stuffed Cabbage Rolls With Rice
Cabbage leaves tear or come unrolled for two reasons: over-boiling, which turns the leaf to pulp, and the thick central rib, which prevents a tight roll. Blanch each leaf for 3 minutes only and shave the rib thinner with a knife before stuffing.
- Prep
- 70 min
- Cook
- 60 min
- Total
- 130 min
- Calories
- 290
Photo: Petar Milošević — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Stuffed cabbage is one of the best known and cheapest Egyptian stuffed dishes, and its real test is the leaf stage. Get the blanching and the rolling right and the rest is straightforward.
Method
-
1
Core the cabbage
Cut the core out from underneath in a cone shape with a sharp knife and remove it. This lets the leaves separate by themselves in hot water.
⏱ 10 min -
2
Blanch leaf by leaf
Put the cabbage in boiling water with a spoon of vinegar and lift each leaf out as soon as it softens — roughly 3 minutes each. Over-boiling makes the leaf pulpy and it tears.
⏱ 25 min -
3
Shave the rib
Run a knife along the thick central rib and pare part of it away without cutting through the leaf. This makes a tight roll possible.
⏱ 15 min -
4
The filling
Wash the rice and soak it 20 minutes, drain, and mix it with the onion, tomato, paste, dill, oil, spices and salt.
⏱ 12 min -
5
Roll tightly
Put a teaspoon of filling on the leaf and roll it like a cigar, folding in the sides. Keep the filling sparse — the rice doubles in size.
⏱ 30 min -
6
Pack in layers
Line the pot with the leftover leaves and thick ribs, pack the rolls tightly in alternating layers, and set a heavy plate on top.
⏱ 10 min -
7
Cook
Pour in boiling water to two thirds of the height of the rolls with the salt and lemon, and cook over low heat for 45 minutes.
⏱ 48 min -
8
The garlic finish
In a pan, brown the garlic in ghee until golden, add the vinegar and pour it over the rolls, then cook 10 minutes more, covered.
⏱ 13 min
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Tips that actually matter
- Three minutes of blanching per leaf at most — more and the leaf turns to pulp.
- Shave the central rib; without it the roll will never hold.
- Sparse filling — the rice doubles as it cooks.
- A heavy plate on top stops the rolls floating and unravelling.
People also ask
Why do the cabbage leaves tear?
They over-boiled. Lift each leaf out the moment it softens — about 3 minutes — instead of boiling the whole cabbage at once. Vinegar in the water also firms the leaf slightly.
Why do my rolls come undone?
Either the central rib was too thick for the roll to hold, or you did not weight them down. Shave the rib with a knife, pack the rolls tightly, and set a weight on top.
Why is the rice still raw?
Either you overfilled them so the rice had no room, or there was not enough water. Use only a teaspoon of filling, bring the water to two thirds of the height of the rolls, and cook 45 minutes over low heat.
Cook mode
Stuffed Cabbage Rolls With Rice
-
1
Core the cabbage
Cut the core out from underneath in a cone shape with a sharp knife and remove it. This lets the leaves separate by themselves in hot water.
-
2
Blanch leaf by leaf
Put the cabbage in boiling water with a spoon of vinegar and lift each leaf out as soon as it softens — roughly 3 minutes each. Over-boiling makes the leaf pulpy and it tears.
-
3
Shave the rib
Run a knife along the thick central rib and pare part of it away without cutting through the leaf. This makes a tight roll possible.
-
4
The filling
Wash the rice and soak it 20 minutes, drain, and mix it with the onion, tomato, paste, dill, oil, spices and salt.
-
5
Roll tightly
Put a teaspoon of filling on the leaf and roll it like a cigar, folding in the sides. Keep the filling sparse — the rice doubles in size.
-
6
Pack in layers
Line the pot with the leftover leaves and thick ribs, pack the rolls tightly in alternating layers, and set a heavy plate on top.
-
7
Cook
Pour in boiling water to two thirds of the height of the rolls with the salt and lemon, and cook over low heat for 45 minutes.
-
8
The garlic finish
In a pan, brown the garlic in ghee until golden, add the vinegar and pour it over the rolls, then cook 10 minutes more, covered.
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