Kohlrabi rolls Turkish style

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 8 kohlrabi leaves, very large
• 250 g ground beef, medium fat
• 1 onion(s)
• 2 tbsp tomato(s), grated, approx. 1/2 tomato
• 1 tbsp rice, Turkish or risotto rice
• 1 tsp, leveled salt
• 1 tsp, leveled pepper
• ½ tsp Pul Biber or chili flakes
• 1 tsp, chopped mint, dried
• 1 tsp, sautéed dill, dried
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tbsp paprika paste
• 250 ml vegetable stock
• 2 tbsp olive oil

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 40 minutes; Total time approx. 1 hour 10 minutes

with kohlrabi leaves

The recipe is essentially prepared like yaprak dolması, or stuffed vine leaves, except that kohlrabi leaves are used here. The quantities are calculated for 16 roughly thumb-sized rolls, so that very large kohlrabi leaves can be halved. For smaller leaves, please use more. Wash the rice and set aside, covered with water, for about 30 minutes. Remove the stalks from the kohlrabi leaves and wash the leaves. For very large leaves, cut out the midrib and halve the leaves. For smaller leaves, it is recommended to cut the midrib on the underside of the leaf a little flatter to make it easier to roll up. Bring water to a boil in a wide pot and blanch the kohlrabi leaves for one minute. Then refresh in cold water and dry. Place the minced meat in a bowl, peel the onion and add it to the bowl, either finely diced or grated. Halve a tomato and add it using a coarse grater, leaving the skin behind. You can, of course, also blanch the tomatoes, peel them, and chop them very finely. Drain the rice and add it to the minced meat. Add the spices and knead everything well until smooth. If you don’t like mint, you can also use parsley. Be careful with Pul Biber; depending on the variety, it can be very spicy, so it’s better to taste it first rather than use too much at once. Place the kohlrabi leaves outside-down on the work surface, add just a tablespoon of filling to the bottom. Fold in the sides and roll up from the bottom to the tip. Place the finished rolls, seam-down, close together in a shallow 20 cm diameter pot. Heat the olive oil in a saucepan and fry the tomato and bell pepper puree. Pour in the vegetable stock and simmer for a few minutes, seasoning with salt, pepper, red paprika, and a little sugar if desired. Pour the sauce over the kohlrabi rolls. Cover the rolls with an upturned plate or saucer to prevent them from floating during cooking. Bring the contents of the pot to a boil over medium heat, then immediately reduce the heat to low, and simmer gently, covered, for 35-40 minutes. You can eat the kohlrabi rolls warm; for example, mashed potatoes with Parmesan cheese go very well with them, but they are also delicious cold with some flatbread. You can also fill and prepare the kohlrabi leaves like cabbage rolls; the leaves have a quite strong and spicy flavor and are a bit firmer than, for example, white cabbage. A practical thing about this is that you can usually take the leaves for free from the supermarket.