Middle Eastern Stuffed Cabbage Rolls Recipes

Steps:

• Bring a large pan of water to the boil, add the cabbage leaves and put a heavy ladle on top to keep them submerged. Boil for 4 mins, then drain, reserving the water.
• Meanwhile, heat the oil in a non-stick pan. Reserve 2 tbsp of the onion, then fry the rest for 10 mins until just golden. Stir in the pine nuts and cook until starting to colour. Add the spices and rice, then pour in 450ml of the reserved water. Stir in the bouillon powder, cover and cook for 15 mins until the rice is almost tender and the liquid is absorbed. Stir in the lentils, zest and mint.
• Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Put a spoonful of the rice into the centre of a cabbage leaf, roll up and put in a shallow casserole dish. Repeat with the remaining rice and leaves. Cover and bake for 30 mins until the rice is fully tender.
• Meanwhile, combine the tahini, lemon juice, garlic and 3 tbsp water, and mix the salad ingredients with the reserved onion. If you're following our Healthy Diet Plan, serve half the rolls with half of the sauce and half of the salad. Cover and chill the rest to eat another day. Will keep in the fridge for two to three days. Reheat in the microwave until hot.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350. Combine all filling ingredients in large bowl, kneading with your hands. Carefully remove 18-20 of the largest outer leaves of the cabbage, and blanch for a few seconds in very hot or boiling water. Rinse & drain & slice off the thick spine of the leaf with a paring knife, without cutting through the leaf. Shred some of the remaining leaves, and line the bottom of a 6 quart Dutch oven with them. Lay the cabbage leaves out flat on a tea towel, and place about an egg-sized portion of filling at the wide end. Roll up and secure by tying around the middle with kitchen twine. Place them in the Dutch oven with the seam side of cabbage down. You should be able to place them in two layers. Combine sauce ingredients and pour over the cabbage rolls. Bring to the boiling point on top of stove, then cover and bake in 350 degree oven for 90 minutes. During the baking time, remove lid to spoon sauce over the top layer a few times. Remove kitchen twine and serve over a bed of egg noodles, rice, or with mashed potatoes.