Lebanese Stuffed Cabbage Rolls (Malfouf)

When you think about Lebanese food, fattoush, tabbouleh, or hummus, most likely comes to mind. All those are great, but this is one of my favorites. This is comfort food to its fullest. Cabbage rolls are not uniquely Lebanese. Other nations have their own versions. But what I know and love are the Lebanese stuffed cabbage rolls (Malouf). Specifically, how my mom makes it. I may be a little biased, but I think this is the best way to make them. If you think you don't like cabbage, then give this a try. You won't even taste the cabbage. The garlic and lemon are mostly what you'll taste. It's SO good.

REASONS YOU SHOULD TRY THIS RECIPE:

• delicious and filling cabbage rolls
• so flavorful - full of lemon, garlic, mint and rich beef
• delicate rolls that melt in your mouth

HOW TO MAKE Mama's Lebanese Stuffed Cabbage Rolls (Malfouf):

• Start by getting three heads of cabbage. Wash them really well. Take off the outer green first layer. Cut off the ends. In a big pot, boil, one at a time, on high for about an hour. They should still have resistance when a fork is inserted, but the leaves should be more pliable. We have to do this step because in America, the cabbage is not as pliable as it would be in Lebanon. Don't know why, but that's how it is.

• While those are boiling, you can soak your rice. Place the rice in a medium sized bowl with enough warm water to cover it by ¼". Once you're done boiling the cabbage, place the heads of cabbage into a big strainer to allow the excess water to drip. While they are drying up, you can put the rice in a sieve so you can dump the water out and rinse the rice thoroughly. While the rice is still in a sieve, place it over a bowl and let the water drip for about 5-10 minutes. Once the rice is well strained, you can move it to a large bowl.

• You'll need to peel 2 heads of garlic. Yes, two heads of garlic. If you're not a fan of garlic this isn't something you'll want to eat. But we need two heads peeled and ready to go. I ended up having about 26-28 cloves.

• Next, dab off with a paper towel any excess juice or blood from the meat and then dump it into the bowl with the rice.
• Now, in one large bowl, you should have the meat and rice all together. Now add in the salt, pepper, seven spices, about 8-10 sliced garlic cloves, olive oil and one can of tomato paste. Give this all a mix until it's a uniform mixture.

• That's the filling. Now, you can start peeling the cabbage leaves one at a time. Place a few of the roots of the leaves to cover the bottom of your pot. This will help prevent scorching. Also, make sure you cut the tops, because they're too flimsy and small to roll anything with.  Place about a tablespoon or so in the middle of the leaf and roll it tightly, but not too tightly so they break. Begin to place them one by one over the leaves you placed on the bottom of the pot. Fill it up until it forms the first layer.

• Now, add in about 6-8 sliced garlic cloves all over. Add in some mint all over.

• Repeat to form another layer. Keep rolling the cabbage rolls until you get another layer. You should receive about 3-4 layers in all, each one with mint and sliced garlic included. With any leftover meat, roll it all into a ball in one leaf and place it on top.
• Now, cover with water until it just covers the top of the last layer. Add in salt, pepper, mint and another can of tomato paste. Add in the lemon juice.

• Place a heatproof plate bottomside up on top to act as the lid. Weigh it down with either a heatproof glass jar or a big measuring cup filled with water. MAKE SURE YOU DON'T USE PLASTIC. IT WILL BURN. Cook on high for about 30 minutes, then turn it to medium-low and cook for another 2 hours or so. Make sure you taste so you can add more salt and pepper if you need too. Also taste to ensure the leaves are tender. Once they're tender, the food is done. Squeeze some fresh lemon juice over the rolls and serve in a pita or eat with fork.

MORE GREAT LEBANESE RECIPES:

• Lebanese Sauteed Kafta
• Lebanese Chicken Shawarma
• Tidbeha 

SHOP MY BAKING ESSENTIALS:

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Lebanese Stuffed Cabbage Rolls (Malfouf)

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Cook Time 2 hours hrs

Course Entrees

Cuisine Lebanese

Ingredients

  

• 3 large heads of cabbage
• 2 large heads of garlic 23-28 cloves
• 1.5 lb kishna (thickly grinded chuck beef)
• 2 full cups of Basmati rice use liquid measuring cup
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cans 12 oz total tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon seven spice
• 1 tablespoon sea salt or kosher salt +more for last layer
• 1 tablespoon freshly grinded black pepper + more for last layer
• ¼ cup of lemon juice
• dried mint
• water

Instructions

 

Cabbage:

• Wash three heads of cabbage really well. Remove the outer green first layer. Cut off the ends.
• In a large enough pot boil each cabbage head, one at a time in unsalted water on high for about an hour. They should still have a little resistance when a fork is inserted, but the leaves should be softer and more pliable.
• Once you're done boiling the cabbage, place the heads of cabbage into a big strainer to allow the excess water to drip.

Filling:

• Place the rice in a medium sized bowl with enough warm water to cover the rice by ¼".
• Once the rice has soaked the water, about 20 minutes, put the rice in a sieve so you can dump the water out and rinse the rice thoroughly.
• Place the rice in the sieve over an empty bowl and let the water drip for about 5-10 minutes. Once the rice is well strained, you can dump it into a large bowl and set aside.
• Peel and cut the ends off 23-28 cloves of garlic (2 large heads). Set aside.
• Now, dab off with a paper towel any excess blood from the meat and then dump it into the bowl with the rice.
• Now, in one large bowl, you should have the meat and rice all together.
• Into the meat/rice mixture, add in the salt, pepper, seven spice, about 8-10 garlic cloves sliced, olive oil and one can (6 oz) of tomato paste. Give this all a mix until it's a uniform mixture.

Assembly:

• Now, you can start peeling the cabbage leaves one at a time. Place a few of the outer layer and unusable leaves on the bottom of your pot. It should be one layer of leaves. This will help prevent scorching. Also, make sure you cut the tops of the selected leaves to roll with, because they're too flimsy and small to roll anything with.
• Place about a tablespoon or so in the middle of the leaf and roll it tightly, but not too tightly so they break.
• Begin to place them one by one over the leaves you placed on the bottom of the pot. Fill it up until it forms the first layer.
• Now, add in about 6-8 sliced garlic cloves all over. Sprinkle in some mint all over, about two or three tablespoons.
• Repeat to form another layer.
• Keep rolling the cabbage rolls until you get another layer. You should receive about 3-4 layers in all, each one with mint and sliced garlic included.
• With any leftover meat, roll it all into a ball in one leaf and place it on top.
• Now, cover with warm water until it just covers the top of the last layer. Add in more salt, pepper, mint and another can of tomato paste. Add in the lemon juice.
• Place a heatproof plate bottomside up on top to act as the lid. Weigh it down with either a heatproof glass jar or a big measuring cup filled with water. MAKE SURE YOU DON'T USE PLASTIC. IT WILL BURN.
• Cook on high for about 30 minutes, then turn it to medium-low and cook for another 2 hours or so. Make sure you taste so you can add more salt and pepper if you need too. Also taste to ensure the leaves are tender. Once they're tender, the food is done.
• When serving, squeeze some fresh lemon juice over the top. Enjoy with pita bread.

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