Cabbage Rolls Stuffed with Beef and Rice in Tomato Sauce

What you need

• 1 white cabbage, large round head, about 2 kg (4 1/2 lb)
• 500 g (1 lb) ground beef, or half beef and half pork
• 150 g (3/4 cup) white rice, short or medium grain
• 2 onions, finely chopped
• 2 carrots, coarsely grated
• 1 large egg
• 3 tbsp vegetable oil
• 5 tbsp tomato paste
• 1/2 tsp ground paprika
• 1 1/2 tsp salt, divided
• 1/2 tsp black pepper, ground
• 1 bay leaf
• sour cream, for serving
• 1 handful dill, chopped, for serving

Method

Restated from the original video

1. 1

   Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cut deep around the core of the cabbage with a small knife and pull it out.

2. 2

   Lower the cabbage into the water, core side down. As the outer leaves turn bright green and soft, 2-3 min each, peel them off with tongs onto a colander. Save 500 ml of the cooking water.

3. 3

   Shave down the thick rib on the back of each leaf with a knife so the leaves roll without cracking.

4. 4

   Rinse the rice and boil it in plenty of water for 10 min, so it stays firm in the centre. Drain.

5. 5

   Heat 2 tbsp oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Cook the onions and carrots until soft and lightly golden, 8-10 min.

6. 6

   In a bowl, mix the beef, rice, half the onions and carrots, the egg, paprika, 1 tsp salt and the black pepper.

7. 7

   Put about 2 tbsp of the filling near the stem end of a leaf. Fold the stem end over, tuck in the sides and roll up firmly. Repeat with the rest.

8. 8

   Line the base of a wide heavy pot with torn or small leaves. Pack the rolls in snugly, seam side down, in one or two layers.

9. 9

   Add the remaining oil to the onions and carrots left in the pan, stir in the tomato paste and fry for 1 min. Pour in the saved cooking water with the rest of the salt and bring to a boil.

10. 10

    Pour the sauce over the rolls and tuck in the bay leaf. The liquid should come almost to the top layer.

11. 11

    Cover and simmer on low heat until the rice is tender and the filling is cooked through, 50-60 min. A thermometer in the centre of a roll should read 71 °C (160 °F).

12. 12

    Rest for 10 min off the heat. Serve with a spoonful of the sauce, sour cream and dill.

Imported from kashevar.com. Recipe Grab pulled out what you need to cook it; the video stays where its author put it.