Ingredients

The following ingredients have 4 Servings
  • 2 pickled or fresh cabbage (medium size)
  • 2 lbs mix of ground pork and beef
  • 8 oz rice
  • 1 onion (diced)
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 bulb garlic (medium size, minced or smashed)
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 5 bay leaves
  • 1/2 tsp grounded pepper
  • 3 dill sticks (dry)
  • 3 sprigs thyme (dry)

Instruction

  • Mix meat with rice, diced onions, minced or smashed garlic, eggs, salt, grounded pepper and some tomato paste until everything becomes a homogeneous paste.
  • Add some paprika powder if you like spicy food
  • Remove the stubs from the cabbage leaves and then cut each leaf in half (depending on their size)
  • Put a little amount of meat (about a spoonful) on a cabbage leaf and roll, making sure to nicely tuck in the edges.
  • Choose a very thick pot like a dutch oven and place the cabbage stubs, previously removed from the leaves, to the bottom, forming a bed. 
  • Add dill sticks and thyme.
  • Lay the rolls inside the pot, in circles, adding a bit of the tomato paste, bay leaves and peppercorns in between the layers. 
  • When you're done layering the rolls, add a layer of chopped cabbage on top mixed with a bit of tomato paste and if the meat is very lean, add a bit of sunflower oil too.
  • Cover everything with water.
  • Put 2 lids on: a small lid that will fit inside the pot and will cover the ingredients and a large lid that will cover the pot.
  • Bring to a boil then simmer for about three hours, on very low heat.
  • Serve with pickled chili peppers and sour cream or yogurt.