Cabbage Rolls Recipe

How to make it

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• To prepare the rice & filling: In a small pot, combine rice, water or chicken broth, butter, and 1/2 tsp salt. Bring to a boil, stir once, then reduce heat and cover. Let it simmer for 15 minutes. Then remove from heat, uncover, and let it stand for 5 to 10 minutes.
• In a large pan, saute the onion in the olive oil, until the onion is clear. Add the garlic, and the tofu. (If you decide to substitute beef or chicken, add it while the onion is sauteing. Let the garlic and tofu cook with the onion for 5 to 10 minutes, and then add the rice, sugar, mint, and salt & pepper. Add 1 cup of hot water. Cook until the water evaporates.
• To prepare the cabbage for rolling: Cut the core out of the cabbages, but leave the leaves on. Fill a large pot with water, and bring it to a boil. Place the whole cabbage into the water. As the cabbage heats up, the leaves will begin to separate. Using tongs, grab the separated leaf and pull it out of the water, laying it on a plate. Keep doing this until all of the leaves are out of the water and on the plate, then drop in the 2nd cabbage. Cool them off in cold water. Take a cabbage leaf, and using a pairing knife, trim the thick "stem" to make it thin, making that part easier to roll. You can watch an example of all this on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-tk4bTxn64 It's VERY helpful to watch, and see what I'm talking about.
• When the filling is done, take 1 tablespoon and place it at the bottom of the cabbage leaf. Roll two times, then fold the sides in, and continue to roll. Keep going until all of the filling is gone.
• In a large pot, cover the bottom with open cabbage leaves. Then place the cabbage rolls side by side, packing them tightly, one layer. On top of that layer, place open cabbage leaves to cover, and then start another layer of tightly packed cabbage rolls. Cover with open cabbage leaves, and start another layer... do this until all of the cabbage rolls are in the pot. Cover with open cabbage leaves, and add 1 1/2 cups of hot water to the side of the pot. Cover the pot, and cook over low heat until most of the water has evaporated.. this takes about an hour and a half.
• After it cools enough to touch, remove the cabbage rolls and put them on a serving plate.
• Cucumber dip goes very well with these cabbage rolls. You can find it in my recipes
• Enjoy!!!
• Betty