Arabic cabbage rolls

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 8 large white cabbage leaves (e.g. Jaroma)
• 2 m.-sized onion(s)
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 bunch parsley, flat
• 500 g minced beef
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp cumin, ground
• Salt
• Lemon(s), juice
• 100 g sour cream or Turkish yogurt
• 5 tbsp tomato paste
• tsp harissa
• 1 tsp cornstarch

Instructions

Working time approx. 20 minutes; Total time approx. 20 minutes

Malfuf from the table steamer

First of all: I use the Tefal VitaCuisine tabletop steamer. Preparation may vary depending on the model. Preparation: Wash and trim the cabbage, and remove the stalk. Remove 8 large leaves and steam for about 10 minutes, until they are soft and flexible enough to be used further. Rinse well and drain. Peel and finely chop the onions and garlic. Wash the parsley, shake dry, and finely chop, removing the coarse stalks. Place everything in a bowl with the minced meat, olive oil, and cumin, and mix well. Flatten the center rib of the cabbage leaves. Place about 2 tablespoons of the minced meat mixture on each leaf at the base of the stem until all the mixture is used up. Then fold the sides of the leaves over the filling towards the center and roll the leaf up tightly from the bottom. Secure with kitchen string or a toothpick, if necessary. Place the cabbage rolls in the large cooking chamber and steam for about 30 minutes, then keep warm. Pour the liquid from the drip tray into a saucepan and top up with water if necessary, making a total of 250 ml. Stir in the lemon juice, sour cream (Turkish yogurt), tomato paste, and harissa, and bring to a boil briefly. Mix the cornstarch with a little water until smooth and stir into the sauce. Bring the sauce back to a boil briefly while stirring. Serve the roulades and sauce together. Rice goes well with the roulades; this is traditionally added to the mince mixture. However, we prefer it as a side dish. Potatoes or flatbread also go well. If you divide the mince mixture between 16 or more cabbage leaves, you can also serve the cabbage rolls as finger food. It’s worth making more cabbage rolls at once and freezing the leftovers in portions. They can be quickly heated up in the microwave.