Cabbage Rolls with Bulgur

How to prepare cabbage rolls with bulgur

1. Clean the cabbage of the outer leaves if needed (if they're bruised, torn, etc). Put a large pot of salted water on to boil. When boiling, add the whole cabbage and cook with the lid on for about 8-10 minutes. During this time, rotate it in the pot so it cooks on all sides. Remove the cabbage to a colander and let it cool. Then separate the leaves one by one until you have about 20 leaves. After boiling, the leaves will separate very easily and will be easy to roll. Clean the remaining core of its stem, chop it finely and add it to the bottom of the pot where you'll cook the cabbage rolls.
2. In a large pan, heat a little oil and sauté the finely chopped onion until very soft (about 10-15 minutes over low heat). Add the cumin, mint, chopped parsley, and bulgur. Season with salt, black pepper, and chili flakes (pul biber; I used about 1/4 teaspoon). Mix to combine the filling.
3. Take each cabbage leaf and cut a V-shape in the tough stem area. Add 1 generous tablespoon of filling and roll. It might seem like not much filling, but it swells a lot during cooking. Place in the pot over the layer of chopped cabbage. Repeat until you finish the filling.
4. In a cup of water, dissolve the tomato and pepper pastes, add the crushed garlic and lemon juice (about 2-3 tablespoons). Pour over the cabbage rolls. Top up with water until the rolls are covered, then add 1 more cup of water. Add the oil and sprinkle with salt.
6. Place a plate upside down over the cabbage rolls to keep them submerged. Put the pot on the heat and bring to a boil. At that point, reduce heat to low, set the lid slightly ajar, and let simmer for about 45 minutes. Check one to make sure the bulgur and cabbage are cooked after this time.
7. Let cool for at least 30 minutes. During this time they will absorb most of the sauce from the pot. They're good warm or at room temperature. Serve sprinkled with a little dried mint and chili flakes. They're delicious with yogurt.

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