Stuffed Cabbage (Malfouf)
This is one dish I cannot stop eating. The 20-minute stomach rule recognizing you are full simply does not apply!
Malfouf (“wrapped” in Arabic) are cabbage rolls with a spiced meat and rice stuffing, cooked with two whole heads of garlic. I always saved the garlic till the very end; savouring the creamy, sweet cloves oozing out of their shell was sheer heaven. We serve this dish with a side of yogurt, garlic sauce and the best Dijon mustard we can get our hands on. The thought of spreading Dijon on every roll, drizzling garlic sauce all over my plate and enjoying it with the yogurt is giving me cravings right now! My dad loves the leaves at the bottom of the pot that are extra caramelized—we all have our weaknesses, and it’s certainly one of mine, too.
Serves 6
Ingredients
2 cups long-grain white rice
2 tsp salt, divided
1 tsp each ground allspice, cinnamon and pepper
400 g ground beef or lamb
2 tomatoes, finely grated
2 tbsp samneh baladi
2 flat white cabbages (Korean cabbage)
1 tomato, thinly sliced
20 cloves garlic, unpeeled
1 tbsp butter
½ cup lemon juice
Directions
Preparing the stuffing
1. In a pot, bring water to a boil; add the rice, then turn off the heat and let soak for 1 hour. Drain.
2. Meanwhile, to make the spice mixture, in a small bowl, stir together 1 tsp of the salt, the allspice, cinnamon and pepper.
3. In a large bowl, mix together the rice, beef, grated tomatoes, samneh baladi and the spice mixture until well combined.
Stuffing the cabbage leaves
1. Set 1 cabbage on its end, stem side up; make 4 deep slits, each 2 inches long, along the stem in all directions to loosen the leaves. Repeat with the remaining cabbage.
2. In a large deep pot over high heat, bring water to a boil, then turn off the heat. Submerge the cabbage, stem side up, 1 at a time, and let stand for 10 minutes.
3. Remove the cabbage from the water and carefully separate as many leaves as you can. Set the separated leaves in a large sieve and let drain. Submerge the head again for 5 minutes, then separate more leaves. Repeat until all of the leaves are separated. Discard the inner wrinkled leaves and any leaves that tear.
4. Using a sharp knife, carefully remove the thick stem from the bottom of each leaf. Cut each leaf in half lengthwise. Discard any leaves that tear.
5. Lay 1 cabbage leaf flat on a work surface with 1 long side facing you. Add 1½ tbsp of the stuffing along the edge of the leaf closest to you, spreading to cover. Carefully fold and roll; trim the ends. Repeat with the remaining cabbage leaves.
Finishing the dish
1. In a large pot, arrange the sliced tomato, overlapping. Top with 1 layer of the cabbage rolls, arranging snugly. Top with half of the garlic, then top with another layer of cabbage rolls, arranging snugly. Repeat with the remaining garlic and cabbage rolls, lightly pressing down with a plate to compress, if necessary. Add the remaining salt, butter and enough boiling water to cover; set a plate over top to keep the rolls in place. Cook over high heat for 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to medium; cook for 20 minutes. Reduce the heat to low; cook until fork-tender and the water is almost evaporated, 15 to 20 minutes.
2. Drizzle in the lemon juice; turn off the heat and let stand for 15 minutes.
3. Place a flat serving platter over the pot. Quickly invert the pot. Place a kitchen towel over the pot and tap gently; let stand for 5 minutes, then carefully remove the pot. Serve with garlic sauce, yogurt and Dijon mustard.
Make It Vegetarian
Turn this dish into a vegetarian option by omitting the lamb and replacing with 1 cup chickpeas, pulsed in a food processor a few times. Make it vegan by swapping in olive oil for the butter and samneh baladi.