ETLİ LAHANA SARMASI

STUFFED CABBAGE LEAVES WITH GROUND BEEF
Ingredients:

• 1 head of green cabbage ( ~3,5 lb )
• 1/2 lb of ground beef
• 15 tbsp of rice ( 1tbsp of rice for every three piece of cabbage leaves )
  
• 2 tbsp of extra fine bulgur
  
• 2 tbsp of tomato paste
• 1 tbsp of red pepper paste
• 1 medium size of onion
• 1 fresh banana pepper
• 6 cloves of garlic
• 4 tbsp of lemon juice
  
• 1 tsp of black pepper
• salt

Put the cabbage in a large pot and cover it with cold water. Turn the heat on high, bring it to boil and turn the heat down to medium high. Boil it for three to four minutes until the outer leaves start to loosen. Remove the soft leaves from the core.




Return the cabbage head to the pot. Repeat the first step until all leaves are removed. Place all of the leaves on a large tray. Let them cool for ten minutes.






Once all leaves cool down, remove the center stalks from the leaves. Cut the large leaves into three triangular parts.






Cut the small leaves into two equal parts.
Place all of them on a large plate and set a side. ( It will be around 55 pieces.)






Meanwhile, take onion, banana pepper, and garlic into the bowl of food processor and process it until finely chopped. Take them in a large mixing bowl. Add the other ingredients ( rice, bulgur, beef, tomato paste, red pepper paste, lemon juice, black pepper, and salt) into the mixing bowl and mix it until well combined.



Take one piece of leaves. Place one tbsp of filling on the larger side of it and fold the sides inside and roll it. Repeat this step for all off the pieces.















Place them in a large pot and cover with boiling water. Take the pot to the stove top and turn the heat on high and bring it to the boil. Once it starts to boil, turn the heat down to low and cover the lid. Let it simmer for one hour and turn the heat off. Let it rest for half an hour and serve it warm.