Lebanese stuffed cabbage rolls, known as Malfouf Mahshi may be one of the most quintessential comfort foods at which every Lebanese household should try their hand at because it is out-of-this-world delicious, made of a mixture of minced meat and rice wrapped in tender cabbage leaves and cooked on the stovetop with a simple garlicky-lemony minted sauce, one of my favorite succulent Lebanese foods and will warm up any family gathering, make it and you will be hooked! Watch the detailed video tutorial below.
Malfouf Mahshi is a very special dish!
Malfouf (Stuffed Cabbage rolls) is a dish that every Lebanese and Middle Eastern family makes. It might require time to put together, but believe me it’s not difficult at all. I grew up eating it from my grandmother’s and mom’s kitchen, it was an event when those stuffed cabbage rolls showed on our table. But I think it’s it also because I associate them with family meals and happy memories. I kept the recipe just the way my mama and granny made it, no tweaking, because you don’t mess with perfection.
Ingredients needed to make malfouf mahshi:
- Meat: Use beef or lamb minced meat, or a mix of both. The minced meat and rice do not need to be precooked. They are mixed together with spices and ghee or oil to create the filling.
- White Rice: Use short grain rice like Arborio or Egyptian rice, you can use Jasmine rice as well
- Cabbage: Use regular green cabbages and avoid savoy or Napa cabbage; boil them in a large pot of water to make them tender. You need to cut 1/2 inch off the head of cabbage, start by submerging the whole head of cabbage in a big pot of boiling water for 5 to 6 minutes. Turn it over about halfway through the cooking time. This helps the leaves become tender and more pliable for stuffing and rolling. It also helps keep the leaves from shredding when removed from the whole head.
- Dried Mint: is used in making malfouf mahshi instead of fresh because it doesn’t turn black, and its floral scent hold up better in long cooking. It is accessible at Mediterranean stores.
- Ghee or Olive Oil: the fat agent to be added to the filling and to brown the lamb chops or beef oxtail chops before piling the cabbage rolls.
- Lamb Chops or Beef Oxtail: The stuffed cabbage leaves (malfouf) could stand up wonderfully on their own without the addition of lamb chops or oxtail and still the result would be good; however, when paired with browned lamb chops or oxtail, the dish will be that special. Lamb chops or beef oxtail tend to be fatty, and add so much flavor to the cabbage rolls (malfouf), if you can’t find lamb chops or oxtail, the best substitute would be beef short ribs or beef neck; choose fresh meat with bright red color.
- Garlic: Use whole peeled cloves, and throw them while lining the cabbage leaves in the pot, they impart so much flavor to the malfouf mahshi.
- Salt: obviously for seasoning.
- Sevenspice: A blend of seven spices available in Lebanese or Middle Eastern markets, they add flavor to stuffed foods, the best substitute would be allspice.
- White Pepper: My secret weapon in so many dishes, it adds a kick of umami flavor.
- Lemon Juice: Use fresh lemon juice and avoid the ready bottled stuff. Adding a splash of lemon juice can be transformative here. It adds some acid, and brightens the dish, yes, it gives a contrast to the whole homogenized cooked malfouf mahshi. Add the lemon juice at the end of cooking to prevent a bitter taste.
Lebanese Cabbage Rolls are built on layers of flavors: Garlic, lemon, olive oil or ghee, salt and spices are the flavor boosters, they will take your pot of malfouf to the next level.
And Now Let’s Get started!
How do you get cabbage leaves off the head?
To get the cabbage leaves off the head: Use a knife to cut out the cabbage core, then submerge your cabbage head in a large pot of boiling water and cook for 5-6 minutes until leaves are tender and pliable, and soft enough to roll, but not overly soft. A good technique is to remove one leaf at a time until you’ve pulled all out. Leaves that are still hard should be kept in water for a few more minutes to soften, which will make it easier to roll; remove with a pair of tongue or a slotted spoon and drain in a colander.
How to prepare the stuffing?
In a colander, rinse the rice under running cold water and rub with your hands to remove the excess starch as you can and drain. Mix together the rice with the minced meat and ghee/ oil, and season with sevenspice, white spice and salt. Now your stuffing is ready.
Prepare and cut the middle stem of the cabbage leaves.
If the leaves are big, cut the leaves in half down the center along the stem and remove the tough stem section, if the leaves are small, slice off the raised surface of the tough center stem to flatten leaves, this will facilitate rolling. Watch the video tutorial.
Roll the cabbage Leaves.
Place the cabbage leaf seam side down on a flat surface. Place one tablespoon of the meat and rice filling in the center; fold the sides and roll from bottom to top, do not overstuff, the rolls should be slightly thinner than a cigar. Repeat with the remaining leaves, now your cabbage rolls are ready.
Sauté the lamb chops or the oxtail and line the cabbage rolls in the pot.
Heat ghee or oil in a large stockpot, and sauté the lamb chops or oxtail slices for 5 minutes until browned on both sides, stirring from time to time. Take the pot off the stove. Line the stuffed cabbage rolls onto the meat, adding several whole garlic cloves to each layer. Add water to the pot, fully immersing the rolled cabbage. Season with salt and dried mint.
Cook the cabbage leaves.
Cook the pot of cabbage over high heat, and bring to a boil, add a heavy plate to weigh down the cabbage rolls while they cook to keep them in place while water boils, cover the pot and reduce heat to medium- low, while the pot is simmering taste the liquid in the pot, you may need to add more salt, let it simmer for 2 hours. Add the freshly squeezed lemon juice at the end of cooking to avoid bitter taste.
Serve malfouf mahshi (cabbage rolls)
Now it’s time to serve our masterpiece: Drain the excess liquid in the cabbage pot, by tilting it in a bowl. Place a large serving platter over the pot and flip the pot so the malfouf is on the platter. Or alternatively, Arrange the rolled cabbage leaves and the lamb chops on a large serving plate one roll at a time. Add a sprinkle of dried mint and more lemon wedges, and serve the cabbage liquid on the side. Serve with Lebanese bread, and some folks would like to dip the rolls in plain yogurt, not for me, but it is doable. Happy eating!
Storage: Malfouf rolls can be refrigerated for up to 4 days in an airtight container.
Stuffed food are the best!
I think you’ll agree with me that stuffed foods are some of the most delicious out there. Luckily, we have plenty of stuffed food recipes in Lebanon and the Middle East, just like:
- Stuffed Zucchini and Eggplants,
- Vegetarian stuffed Grape Leaves,
- Sheik El Mahshi,
- Koussa Ablama,
- Stuffed Zucchini in yogurt
Malfouf Mahshi (Lebanese Stuffed Cabbage Rolls)
Description
Ingredients
- 3 kg/ 7 lb large cabbage or 3or 4 meidum cabbage heads they should weigh 3 kg
- 3 heads of garlic peeled; you can add up to 5 garlic cloves
- 2 cups short-grain rice
- 1/4 cup ghee or sunflower oil for the stuffing
- 500 grams/ 1 lb 2 oz minced meat lamb or beef
- 500 grams/ 1 lb 2 oz lamb chops or oxtail chops
- 1 1/2 tablespoons salt or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon sevenspice
- 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
- 1 tablespoon dried mint
- 1/3 cup olive oil / ghee to sauté the lamb chops
- 1 or 2 freshly squeezed lemon juice depending on how lemony you like the cabbage rolls
- Boiling water (I used 3 cups, but add as needed) to submerge the cabbage rolls in the pot
Instructions
- To get the cabbage leaves off the head: Use a knife to cut out the cabbage core. then submerge your cabbage head in a large pot of boiling water and cook for 5-6 minutes until leaves are tender and pliable, and soft enough to roll, but not overly soft. A good technique is to remove one leaf at a time until you’ve pulled all out. Leaves that are still hard should be kept in water for a few more minutes to soften, which will make it easier to roll. ; remove with a slotted spoon and drain in a colander.
- To prepare the stuffing: In a colander, rinse the rice under running cold water and rub with your hands to remove the excess starch as you can and drain. Mix together the rice with the minced meat and ghee/ oil, and season with sevenspice, white spice and salt. Now your stuffing is ready.
- If the leaves are big, cut the leaves in half down the center along the stem and remove the tough stem section, if the leaves are small, slice off the raised surface of the tough center stem to flatten leaves, this will facilitate rolling.
- Place the cabbage rolls seam side down on a flat surface. Place one tablespoon of the meat and rice filling in the center of the cabbage leaf.
- Fold the sides and roll from bottom to top, do not overstuff, the rolls should be slightly thinner than a cigar. Now your cabbage rolls are ready.
- Heat ghee or oil in a large stockpot, and sauté the lamb chops or oxtail slices for 5 minutes until browned on both sides, stirring from time to time. Take the pot off the stove. Line the stuffed cabbage rolls side by side and build layers of rolls, adding several whole garlic cloves to each layer. Add water to the pot, almost fully immersing the rolled cabbage. Season with salt and dried mint.
- Cook the pot of cabbage over high heat, lay a heavy plate face down over the layers to weigh down the cabbage rolls while they cook to keep them in place while water boils, once the water boils, cover the pot and reduce heat to medium- low, while the pot is simmering taste the liquid in the pot, you may need to add more salt and let it simmer for 2 hours. Add the freshly squeezed lemon juice at the end of cooking to avoid bitter taste.
- Now it’s time to serve our masterpiece: Drain the excess liquid in the cabbage pot, by tilting it in a bowl. Place a large serving platter over the pot and flip the pot so the malfouf is on the platter. Or alternatively, Arrange the rolled cabbage leaves and the lamb chops on a large serving plate one roll at a time. Add a sprinkle of dried mint and more lemon wedges, and serve the cabbage liquid on the side. Serve with Lebanese bread, and some folks would like to dip the rolls in plain yogurt, and some chili sauce.
Video
Notes
