Malfouf (Stuffed Cabbage Rolls)
Arabian Spice mix
- Cinnamon powder 1 teaspoon
- Clove powder 1 teaspoon
- Black pepper powder 1 teaspoon
- White pepper powder 1 teaspoon
- Coriander powder 1 teaspoon
- Cumin powder 1 teaspoon
- All spice powder 1 teaspoon (you can skip it if its not available)
Stuffing
- Ground mutton (or beef or chicken) 250 grams
- Rice 1 cup (soaked for 1/2 to 1 hour)
- Big Cabbage 1
- Onion 1 big sized, chopped
- Garlic cloves chopped 2
- Salt 1 tablespoon
- Black pepper powder 1/4 teaspoon
- Arabian Spice Mix 1 teaspoon (Fully loaded)
- Cinnamon powder 1/4 teaspoon
- Oil 3 tablespoons
Stock
- Garlic cloves 10, slivered
- Dried mint 1 teaspoon (or use fresh mint)
- Arabian Spice Mix
- Chicken cube 1
- Lemon Juice 1/4 cup
- Water as needed
Preparation
Arabian Spice mix
- Mix all the powdered spices together and keep aside.
Cabbage leaves
- Peel and discard the outer leaves of the cabbage.
- Pit out the large stem from the bottom of the cabbage. This will help the leaves get separated easily. Wash under tap water.
- Simmer the entire cabbage head in a large pot of boiling water pitted side down, for 10-15 minutes until the leaves are soft and easy to fold. Leaves of raw cabbage cannot be folded.
- After 10-15 minutes, pin down the cabbage inside the pot with one fork, and with another fork slowly peel away the leaves one after the other. Ensure that leaves are intact and not torn.
- Place the cabbage leaves in a tray or colander so that the water from the leaves starts to drain.
- Once you’ve separated all leaves, try to roll one or two of them to see if they are soft enough. If not, and if they tear or break, put them back in the boiling water pot and cook them for another 5 minutes.
Stuffing
- Clean and wash the rice and soak in water for 1/2 to 1 hour.
- Drain water from the rice, add chopped onion, chopped garlic, salt, black pepper powder, Arabian spice mix, cinnamon powder and oil. Mix well. Taste it and adjust salt and pepper if needed.
- Add the ground mutton/beef to the rice, mix well and set aside. Add a tablespoon or two of water if the mixture looks hard.
- Lay each cabbage leaf separately on a cutting board, cut out the stem from the center. This will yield two separate sides of each leaf. Keep aside in a tray. Repeat the process for all the leaves. If the leaves are way too big, cut them into four pieces instead of two.
- NOTE: Do not throw away the stems. We will use them later in the recipe.
- Spread 1 to 2 tablespoons of meat stuffing along the edge of the leaf, shape it into a little kebab using your fingers and then roll the leaf slowly and tightly over the meat.
Cooking
- Take a deep cooking pot (pateela), and line it with the stems. This ensures that malfouf will not burn while cooking on high heat.
- Now add a layer of the stuffed rolls in a compact manner until you’ve completed a layer. Top with slivered garlic, and sprinkle some Arabian spice mix on top and add the second layer of rolls. Repeat the process until all the rolls are arranged in the pot. Lastly top with some chopped fresh mint leaves.
- NOTE: You may end up with 2 to 4 layers of rolls, depending on how wide the cooking pot is.
- In a cup, break a chicken cube into pieces, add hot water and mix. Add this to the pot.
- Add enough water to cover the cabbage rolls.
- Squeeze a big lemon on top.
- Place a plate inside the pot, on top of the rolls, cover the pot, and turn on the stove on high heat for 40-45 minutes until the water dries up – time may vary due to the size of the pot and the flame.
- Malfouf is ready!
- Dish out carefully. Serve hot with a squeeze of lemon juice.
- Enjoy!
Malfouf (Stuffed Cabbage Rolls)
Ingredients
Arabian Spice mix
- Cinnamon powder 1 teaspoon
- Clove powder 1 teaspoon
- Black pepper powder 1 teaspoon
- White pepper powder 1 teaspoon
- Coriander powder 1 teaspoon
- Cumin powder 1 teaspoon
- All spice powder 1 teaspoon (you can skip it if its not available)
Stuffing
- Ground mutton (or beef or chicken) 250 grams
- Rice 1 cup (soaked for 1/2 to 1 hour)
- Big Cabbage 1
- Onion 1 big sized, chopped
- Garlic cloves chopped 2
- Salt 1 tablespoon
- Black pepper powder 1/4 teaspoon
- Arabian Spice Mix 1 teaspoon (Fully loaded)
- Cinnamon powder 1/4 teaspoon
- Oil 3 tablespoons
Stock
- Garlic cloves 10, slivered
- Dried mint 1 teaspoon (or use fresh mint)
- Arabian Spice Mix
- Chicken cube 1
- Lemon Juice 1/4 cup
- Water as needed
Instructions
Arabian Spice mix
- Mix all the powdered spices together and keep aside.
Cabbage leaves
- Peel and discard the outer leaves of the cabbage.
- Pit out the large stem from the bottom of the cabbage. This will help the leaves get separated easily. Wash under tap water.
- Simmer the entire cabbage head in a large pot of boiling water pitted side down, for 10-15 minutes until the leaves are soft and easy to fold. Leaves of raw cabbage cannot be folded.
- After 10-15 minutes, pin down the cabbage inside the pot with one fork, and with another fork slowly peel away the leaves one after the other. Ensure that leaves are intact and not torn.
- Place the cabbage leaves in a tray or colander so that the water from the leaves starts to drain.
- Once you've separated all leaves, try to roll one or two of them to see if they are soft enough. If not, and if they tear or break, put them back in the boiling water pot and cook them for another 5 minutes.
Stuffing
- Clean and wash the rice and soak in water for 1/2 to 1 hour.
- Drain water from the rice, add chopped onion, chopped garlic, salt, black pepper powder, Arabian spice mix, cinnamon powder and oil. Mix well. Taste it and adjust salt and pepper if needed.
- Add the ground mutton/beef to the rice, mix well and set aside. Add a tablespoon or two of water if the mixture looks hard.
- Lay each cabbage leaf separately on a cutting board, cut out the stem from the center. This will yield two separate sides of each leaf. Keep aside in a tray. Repeat the process for all the leaves. If the leaves are way too big, cut them into four pieces instead of two.
- NOTE: Do not throw away the stems. We will use them later in the recipe.
- Spread 1 to 2 tablespoons of meat stuffing along the edge of the leaf, shape it into a little kebab using your fingers and then roll the leaf slowly and tightly over the meat.
Cooking
- Take a deep cooking pot (pateela), and line it with the stems. This ensures that malfouf will not burn while cooking on high heat.
- Now add a layer of the stuffed rolls in a compact manner until you've completed a layer. Top with slivered garlic, and sprinkle some Arabian spice mix on top and add the second layer of rolls. Repeat the process until all the rolls are arranged in the pot. Lastly top with some chopped fresh mint leaves.
- NOTE: You may end up with 2 to 4 layers of rolls, depending on how wide the cooking pot is.
- In a cup, break a chicken cube into pieces, add hot water and mix. Add this to the pot.
- Add enough water to cover the cabbage rolls.
- Squeeze a big lemon on top.
- Place a plate inside the pot, on top of the rolls, cover the pot, and turn on the stove on high heat for 40-45 minutes until the water dries up - time may vary due to the size of the pot and the flame.
- Malfouf is ready!
- Dish out carefully. Serve hot with a squeeze of lemon juice.
- Enjoy!
