Attractive colorful vegetables always catch my eye :). Was flipping through a very old recipe book when I came across this lovely dish called Dolmeh Kalam. It is a Persian dish which is usually a non vegetarian dish. I was so inspired by the idea of stuffing something inside cabbage leaves which led me to create this recipe. Grains, lentils and Veges is a wholesome combination we consume daily in our Indian cooking. This is a completely different twist to the same concept. So many fun ways to get your nutrition, why stick to the same old ways of cooking ;). Pro this recipe and you can impress yourself, your family and friends with a creative way of cooking.
This is probably just one of the many possible ways to make a Vegan Dolmeh kalam (should it be called that? :P). And this was the first time I made food stuffed in cabbage leaves. Its going to happen again and again :). I can only imagine so many wonderful ways you can use this concept to create creative fillings in this recipe. The various combinations you can try.. So the kitchen experiments in this case will continue :). I can keep going on and on.. Let me shut up here and you can follow the recipe below :). Hope you try the recipe and enjoy it as much as I do. Although it did make me sweat a bit in the kitchen, while eating it I felt like I have been served something royal :).
Ingredients
1 Cup Cooked Rajma (Red kidney beans)
1/2 cup Nutrela Soya Granules
2 thinly Chopped Onions
1 cup cooked Rice
10-12 Cabbage Leaves
1/2 tsp Cumin powder
1/2 tsp Haldi powder
1/2 tsp Chilli powder
2 tablespoon Tomato Puree
4 Tablespoon Vegetable oil
1 cup water
2 teaspoon minced garlic
Juice of half a lemon
1/2 cup freshly chopped Herbs (cilantro / basil / parsley / coriander)
Salt and Pepper to taste
Steps
1. Pressure cook Rajma or kidney beans which have been soaking in water overnight. Pressure cook in salted water till the rajma is well cooked and is mash-able easily. Use one cup of cooked kidney beans for this recipe. Mash it into a paste.
2. Gently separate Leaves from a cabbage without tearing them apart. Go for the smaller and tender leaves found in middle of the bulb. Wash the leaves. Bring a large pot of water to boil, add a tablespoon of salt.
3. Blanch cabbage leaves in boiling water for 10 minutes till they are limp. Don't overcook. Drain and allow to cool. With a knife peel out the hard portion of the rib/stem of the cabbage at its back. This is to make the back of the leaves flatter and fold-able.
4. Cook soy granules in mildly salted boiling water. Drain and squeeze out the water.
5. Saute 1 chopped onion in 2 tsp oil till transparent. To this add the mashed Rajma and cooked soy granules and mix well. Add the dry spices and cook till the raw smell of spices goes away.
6. Combine the above mixture with cooked rice and chopped herbs in a bowl. Use hands to mix well. Check salt and add more if needed.
7. In a flat pan saute 1 sliced onion in 2 tbs oil till transparent. Add tomato puree and cook till the raw smell goes. Season this sauce with salt and pepper. Add 1 cup water and bring to a simmer.
8. Meanwhile place a scoop of the kidney bean mixture in the center of each cabbage leaf (the inside of the leaf facing up). Fold the sides of the leaf and make a tight wrap.
9. Arrange closely the stuffed cabbage leaves with the fold down, next to one another in the pan. Cover and cook on medium low for 5 to ten minutes till most of the liquid has dried.
10. Dress with lemon juice and fresh herbs before serving. :)
This is probably just one of the many possible ways to make a Vegan Dolmeh kalam (should it be called that? :P). And this was the first time I made food stuffed in cabbage leaves. Its going to happen again and again :). I can only imagine so many wonderful ways you can use this concept to create creative fillings in this recipe. The various combinations you can try.. So the kitchen experiments in this case will continue :). I can keep going on and on.. Let me shut up here and you can follow the recipe below :). Hope you try the recipe and enjoy it as much as I do. Although it did make me sweat a bit in the kitchen, while eating it I felt like I have been served something royal :).
Ingredients
1 Cup Cooked Rajma (Red kidney beans)
1/2 cup Nutrela Soya Granules
2 thinly Chopped Onions
1 cup cooked Rice
10-12 Cabbage Leaves
1/2 tsp Cumin powder
1/2 tsp Haldi powder
1/2 tsp Chilli powder
2 tablespoon Tomato Puree
4 Tablespoon Vegetable oil
1 cup water
2 teaspoon minced garlic
Juice of half a lemon
1/2 cup freshly chopped Herbs (cilantro / basil / parsley / coriander)
Salt and Pepper to taste
Steps
1. Pressure cook Rajma or kidney beans which have been soaking in water overnight. Pressure cook in salted water till the rajma is well cooked and is mash-able easily. Use one cup of cooked kidney beans for this recipe. Mash it into a paste.
2. Gently separate Leaves from a cabbage without tearing them apart. Go for the smaller and tender leaves found in middle of the bulb. Wash the leaves. Bring a large pot of water to boil, add a tablespoon of salt.
3. Blanch cabbage leaves in boiling water for 10 minutes till they are limp. Don't overcook. Drain and allow to cool. With a knife peel out the hard portion of the rib/stem of the cabbage at its back. This is to make the back of the leaves flatter and fold-able.
4. Cook soy granules in mildly salted boiling water. Drain and squeeze out the water.
5. Saute 1 chopped onion in 2 tsp oil till transparent. To this add the mashed Rajma and cooked soy granules and mix well. Add the dry spices and cook till the raw smell of spices goes away.
6. Combine the above mixture with cooked rice and chopped herbs in a bowl. Use hands to mix well. Check salt and add more if needed.
7. In a flat pan saute 1 sliced onion in 2 tbs oil till transparent. Add tomato puree and cook till the raw smell goes. Season this sauce with salt and pepper. Add 1 cup water and bring to a simmer.
8. Meanwhile place a scoop of the kidney bean mixture in the center of each cabbage leaf (the inside of the leaf facing up). Fold the sides of the leaf and make a tight wrap.
9. Arrange closely the stuffed cabbage leaves with the fold down, next to one another in the pan. Cover and cook on medium low for 5 to ten minutes till most of the liquid has dried.
10. Dress with lemon juice and fresh herbs before serving. :)
