Stewed cabbage rolls are a delicious, low-calorie dish. The classic version with minced meat and rice can be slightly modified by taking Chinese cabbage or grape leaves instead of white cabbage. Or you can experiment with the filling by replacing rice with buckwheat, barley or bulgur.
Features of cooking stewed cabbage rolls
One of the most difficult moments in cooking stuffed cabbage is cutting a cabbage head into leaves. Inexperienced housewives do not immediately manage to separate the leaves without breaking them. Meanwhile, there is a very simple way.
It is necessary to cut a stump from a head of cabbage and lower the whole head of cabbage into a large saucepan with barely boiling salted water. The head of cabbage should be completely hidden under water. There is no need to turn off the fire. Gradually, the top cabbage leaves will become soft and supple.
Gently, so as not to burn yourself, take the head out of the pan and separate the upper elastic leaves. Return the cabbage back to the pot and boil again until tender. It is advisable not to leave the head of cabbage for a long time, so that the leaves are not overcooked and become too soft. Thus, boil the head of cabbage until it is possible to separate large leaves from it.
Another trick: it is better to cut off the thickened coarse part from each cabbage leaf, then the cabbage rolls will be easier to fold.
You can stew cabbage rolls in a saucepan, stewpan, frying pan or slow cooker. A rooster or a rooster is a good choice.
If the cabbage is not freshly harvested, the formed cabbage rolls can be pre-fried in vegetable oil for 1 minute on all sides. This will make them more delicate and fragrant.
Classic stewed cabbage rolls
The traditional recipe for stuffed cabbage is with minced meat and rice.
Ingredients:
- Cabbage (preferably young) -1 large head of cabbage;
- Homemade mince - 500 g;
- Rice - ½ cup;
- Onion - 1 pc;
- Carrots - 1 pc;
- Tomatoes - 2-3 pcs;
- Garlic - 2-3 cloves;
- Vegetable oil - for frying;
- Parsley greens - 2-3 branches;
- Salt and pepper to taste;
- Tomato paste - 2 tablespoons;
- Sour cream - 3-4 tablespoons;
- Broth or water - 400-500 ml.
Disassemble the cabbage into leaves.
Boil rice in advance until half cooked and cool.
Peel the onion and chop finely. Wash carrots, peel and grate. Saute onions and carrots in vegetable oil until soft. Wash and grind greens. Remove the skin from the tomatoes and chop. You can grate, use a blender, cut the sludge with a knife very finely.
Peel the garlic and finely chop or pass through a press. Combine minced meat, rice, onions with carrots and minced garlic.
Add tomatoes, herbs, salt and pepper.
Mix everything well.
Put the filling on the edge of the cabbage leaf. The amount of filling depends on the size of the cabbage face. This is usually 1-1.5 tablespoons.
Form the cabbage roll. Wrap the filling in a sheet, like a roll, bending the free edges to the center.
Place the cabbage rolls in a saucepan or saucepan with a thick bottom and high sides. You can use a rooster or a rooster. And if the household has a multicooker, then it is perfect.
Prepare the sauce. To do this, combine tomato paste, sour cream and water in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper, mix everything well.
Pour the cabbage rolls with the prepared sauce, so that the liquid slightly covers them. Close the lid.
Simmer cabbage rolls over low heat for 40-60 minutes, periodically checking the readiness of the cabbage. It shouldn't be overcooked.
Serve stewed cabbage rolls with sour cream.
Stewed cabbage rolls with barley
It is worth replacing one ingredient in a classic recipe, and now we have a completely new, interesting and tasty dish. Even people who monitor their diet and carefully count calories can eat it without fear. The recipe is simple and straightforward, and products can be found in any home.
Ingredients:
- Minced beef - 300 g;
- Pearl barley - 70 g;
- Young cabbage - 1 head of cabbage;
- Onions - 2 pcs;
- Carrots - 2 pcs;
- Garlic feathers - 2 pcs;
- Tomato paste - 1 tbsp;
- Sugar - 1 tsp;
- Salt to taste;
- Black pepper - to taste;
- Hmeli-suneli - to taste;
- Fresh parsley.
Rinse the barley several times, add plenty of water and salt. Boil until half cooked, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat, drain water and cool slightly.
Peel one onion and one carrot. Grate carrots on a fine grater. Cut the onion into small cubes. Add to the minced meat. Send pearl barley there. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add spices and chopped parsley. Mix everything.
Prepare cabbage leaves. Cut the stalk and submerge the head completely in boiling water in a large saucepan. As the leaves soften, take the head out of the water and remove the finished leaves. Then again lower the head of cabbage into the water. Cut off thickenings from the leaves. Do not pour out the remaining cabbage broth - it will come in handy for the sauce. From the leftover cabbage leaves, you can later make cabbage soup, cabbage patties or filling for pies.
Wrap the prepared filling in softened cabbage leaves.
Peel the second onion and carrot. Grate the carrots on a coarse grater, cut the onion into thin half rings.
Prepare the sauce. To do this, sauté vegetables in vegetable oil, add green garlic feathers, tomato paste, sugar, salt. Fry a little and pour the contents of the cabbage broth, warm up for a couple of minutes.
Place cabbage rolls in a saucepan with tomato sauce. You can add cabbage broth, but it is important that the liquid does not flood the cabbage rolls. Close the lid and put the saucepan with cabbage rolls over low heat. Simmer for 45-60 minutes. Check readiness periodically.
Serve the dish with sour cream and fresh herbs.
Stewed cabbage rolls with buckwheat
If classic stuffed cabbage rolls with minced meat and rice are usually dense, then stuffing in stuffed cabbage rolls with buckwheat turns out to be more crumbly. The taste of buckwheat is almost not felt in this dish. Frying vegetables will enhance the flavor of the dish.
Ingredients:
- Minced beef and lamb - 400 g;
- Onions - 2 pcs;
- Carrots - 1 pc;
- Garlic - 1 clove;
- Tomato paste - 1 tbsp;
- Cabbage - 1 head of cabbage;
- Buckwheat - 90 g;
- Bulgarian pepper - 1 pc;
- Vegetable oil - 2 tablespoons;
- Spices to taste.
Cut a stalk from a cabbage head or just cut it along the edge. Dip the head of cabbage into boiling water, notched part down. Bring the water to a boil and keep the cabbage in the water, periodically turning and gradually removing the softened leaves. Cool the leaves. Do not pour out the water in which the cabbage was boiled, it will be useful for pouring.
Boil buckwheat until half cooked, cool.
Finely chop one onion with a knife.
Add buckwheat and onion to a bowl of minced meat. Season with salt, pepper and mix well.
Cut the second onion into half rings. Bell pepper - in stripes. Grate the carrots on a coarse grater. Pass the garlic cloves through a press or chop with a knife.
Prepare frying. To do this, heat the vegetable oil in a saucepan and first fry the garlic and onions until a pleasant aroma, then add the rest of the vegetables. Saute everything together for about 7 minutes. Add tomato paste and sugar to vegetables, season with salt. Mix well, warm up for a couple of minutes and remove from heat.
Form cabbage rolls by wrapping the minced meat in cabbage leaves in the form of rolls.
Put stuffed cabbage rolls in one layer in a saucepan with a thick bottom. Lay out a layer of grilled vegetables on top. Then another layer of cabbage rolls, and again a layer of vegetable frying. Pour cabbage broth over everything so that it barely covers the vegetables.
Salt to taste, add spices.
Put the cabbage rolls and simmer under the lid until tender. 40-50 minutes.
Periodically check the softness of the cabbage and the taste of the broth, adding what is missing.
