Romanian cabbage rice roll is one of the delicious dishes that Romanian people prepare for family reunion meals and especially holidays. Cabbage leaves are stuffed with a mixture of ground meat, rice and herbs, then cooked with tomato juice and some smoked meat for extra flavor. Traditionally, cabbage rolls are served warm with sour cream and whipped cream.
Source:Home Cooking Adventure
Element
Make about 60-70 cabbage rolls
To prepare cabbage leaves
2 medium cabbages
1 tablespoon (15g) salt
4-5 sprigs of thyme
2 branches of fresh dill
hot boiling water
Filling with meat
4 medium onions (500g), minced
5 tablespoons (70g) vegetable oil
1/4 cup (65g) ketchup
2 teaspoons (4g) paprika
1 1/4 cups (250g) long grain rice, rinsed and drained
1 pound (450g) ground pork
1/4 pound (110g) ground beef
1/2 cup (25g) fresh dill, chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons (7g) salt
1 1/2 teaspoons (5g) ground black pepper
Pour the cabbage mixture over the top and bottom of the pot.
1/2 teaspoon (3g) salt
2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
freshly ground black pepper
To add to the top of the roll
Diced tomatoes 14 oz (400g)
1/2 pound (230g) smoked pork ribs, cut into smaller pieces
Hot salt water
1. Remove the core of the cabbage. Bring water to a boil in a large pot, enough to cover most of the cabbage. Add salt, a few sprigs of thyme and dill. Dip cabbage in boiling water, core down. Cook over medium-high 5 to 10 minutes. Rotate and gently remove leaves. When the leaves are soft and supple, take them out and let them cool.
2. Prepare the filling. In a pan, heat oil over medium-high heat. Cook onion until soft and glossy. Add chili powder and tomato paste, stir well, then turn off the heat. Let cool a bit. Add rice, ground pork and beef, cumin, salt and pepper. Stir until well combined.
3. Trim off the thick veins of the cabbage leaves for easier rolling and set aside. Cut the leaves into several smaller pieces if too large. Chop the leftover cabbage (middle part) and leaf veins and put it in a bowl. Mix chopped cabbage with dill, salt and pepper. Place a few sprigs of thyme in the bottom of a large pot, half of the chopped cabbage and a few sprigs of dill on top.
4. Start making the cabbage rolls. Place 1/2 to 1 tablespoon of the mixture in the center of the underside of each leaf. Fold the sides and begin to roll the cabbage leaves to form a roll, place in the prepared pot and continue until the filling is used up. Place the remaining half of the chopped cabbage on top of the rolls.
5. Add the diced tomatoes on top, arrange the pork chops, and pour in the hot brine until the cabbage rolls are almost all liquid.
6. Cover the pot and cook over medium heat until they start to boil. Reduce heat to low and cook for 1 hour.
7. Serve the cabbage rolls warm with sour cream and whipped cream.
