Levantine cuisine · Vegetable Dishes

Malfouf Mahshi

Thin cabbage rolls with rice and ground lamb, braised soft in a garlic-lemon broth.

Ingredients · for 4 servings

• 1 small white cabbage (about 1 kg)
• 300 g ground lamb
• 200 g round-grain rice
• 8 cloves garlic
• 2 lemons
• 1 tbsp dried mint
• 1 tsp allspice
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 40 g butter
• Salt, pepper

Instructions

1. Cut the core out of the white cabbage in a wedge, cook the cabbage in boiling salted water for 8–10 min. and peel off the leaves one by one as they soften.
2. Cut away the thick center ribs and divide the leaves into pieces about 8 cm wide.
3. Knead the washed rice with the ground lamb, allspice, cinnamon, 2 tbsp olive oil, salt and pepper into an even mixture.
4. Place 1 tsp of filling on a piece of leaf and roll loosely into thin cigar shapes — not too tight, as the rice swells while cooking.
5. Layer the rolls tightly in a pot, scatter in four roughly chopped garlic cloves, pour over 500 ml hot water, the juice of one lemon and the remaining olive oil, weigh down with a plate and simmer covered gently for 50 min.
6. Foam the butter with the remaining finely grated garlic and the dried mint, pour over the rolls, add the juice of the second lemon and serve hot after 5 min. of resting.