Malfouf mehshi – Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

I love malfouf! Everybody loves malfouf! Try it once, if you haven’t done that yet, and join the club of Lebanese Sauerkrauts!

You will surely enjoy the aroma filling the house when the cabbage rolls are cooking on the stove. And if you happen to be an expat like me, you will go back in time and remember coming home from school, tired and hungry, and your mom has prepared for you those most flavourful rolls. What a treat, and what pamper it was for the soul!

Loose-leaved cabbage at the market “Souk el Khan” in South Lebanon

I have included this recipe of malfouf in my cookbook. Here, I am sharing with you the recipe and the different steps in photos. I hope that will encourage you to prepare this amazing dish as the task of making these delicate rolls might seem a bit daunting for the inexperienced cook. I would recommend planning ahead, separating and blanching the leaves in advance. I do that mostly in the evening of the previous day; I let the leaves drain and cool well in a colander, then cover with plastic wrap and keep in the fridge. Preparing the stuffing the next day, peeling the garlic cloves and stuffing the rolls become much easier and faster. All you need next is to layer the rolled leaves in a large pot, and scatter the garlic cloves in between the layers, and finally press the rolls by adding a heavy plate on them. Add the water and cook; see recipe below.

The scattered garlic cloves in between the layers of rolled leaves in the pot will become so soft and sweet while cooking, perfectly flavouring the cabbage and the rice-meat filling. The final generous squeeze of lemon on your rolls in your plate is the secret for this most delectable dish.

Sahtein!

Malfouf mehshi - Stuffed Cabbage Leaves

dina bayoud kohl

5 from 3 votes

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Prep Time 2 hours hrs

Cook Time 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Total Time 3 hours hrs 10 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine Lebanese

Servings 6 servings

Ingredients

  

• 1 cabbage head about 3.5-4 kg
• 500 g minced lamb or beef
• 250 g white long grain rice rinsed and drained
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon allspice
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 ½ teaspoon salt
• 100 ml sunflower oil
• 50 g melted butter
• 1 head of garlic peeled
• 600 ml cold low-salt vegetable stock or enough to cover the rolls
• Salt to taste
• Lemon juice to serve

Instructions

 

• For the leaves: Peel and discard the damaged outer leaves of the cabbage. Using a long knife cut out the hard central core from the bottom of the cabbage to ease the peeling of the leaves.
• When using a loose-leaved cabbage head, carefully peel away the leaves one by one trying not to break or tear them. Place the leaves (in batches) in a large pot of boiling water and keep them for about 3 minutes until tender. Remove into the colander to drain.
• When using a tightly packaged cabbage, simmer the entire head in boiling water for about 10 minutes, turning it over from time to time until the leaves start to loosen. To separate the leaves, pin down the cabbage inside the pot with one fork, and using a second fork, carefully peel away the leaves and remove into the colander. Work slowly and carefully to avoid hurting yourself with boiling water and tearing the leaves.
• For the stuffing: Combine the meat, the drained rice, the spices, the oil and the butter in the mixing bowl and mix well with your hand.
• For the rolls: Place one leaf on a clean working surface, slice out any large stem. If the leaf is very big, you’ll be getting 2 leaves out of one. Spread 1 or 2 teaspoons of the stuffing (depending on the size of the leaves) along the edge of the leaf and then roll it tightly all the way, leaving the edges open. Gently squeeze the roll in the palm of your hand and place onto a large plate. Work your way through the leaves, reserving some cut out stems and torn leaves to cover the bottom of the pot and the top of the rolls.
• To fill the pot: Carefully take 6 to 8 stuffed rolls in your hands and place them in the pot as one batch. When you finish half of the rolls, add half of the garlic cloves. Cover with the remaining batches of stuffed rolls and the remaining garlic. Spread some torn leaves on top.
• Place a heavy plate over the rolls and pour enough water to cover them and half of the plate. Cover and cook over high heat for about 10 minutes until it boils. Add the vegetable bouillon and salt to taste. Turn heat down to medium-low and simmer, covered, for about 60 minutes.
• Uncover and remove the plate. Continue cooking, uncovered, for another 30 minutes or until water is almost absorbed. Remove from heat and leave to sit, covered, for about 10 minutes.
• Carefully flip the pot over onto the large serving platter and enjoy the full flavour of this lovely dish with an extra squeeze of lemon and some Lebanese pita bread.

Notes

Recipe is also in my book both versions The Taste of Marjeyoun and Le Goût de Marjeyoun.

All images and text © Dina Bayoud Kohl for Dina’s Kitchen