Egyptian "Mahshy" (Stuffed Grape Leaves & Cabbage)

"Mahshy" is one of the most popular main dishes in Arabic countries like Egypt and Sirya, it's also known as "Dolma". "Mahshy" is an Arabic word means "stuffed" and it's called on some leaves like (cabbage, vine/grape leaves, lettuce leaves, or turnip leaves) or some vegetables like (tomatos, eggplant, zucchini, or bell pepper) stuffed with many kinds of stuffing different from country to another or from one person to another,
one of these types is rice and ground beef with some spices, or only rice with some herbs and tomato juice (Egyptian stuffing), and this one is what I'm going to use today, this dish is usually eaten with the preferred meat or chicken, I recommend chicken in the oven with potatoes, and minced onion or even without potatoes. Stuffed grape leaves is considered as an appetizer dish in some countries and restaurants. Today I'm going to make "Mahshy Kronb & Wara'a Enab" or stuffed cabbage and grape leaves, I hope you like it.

Tips:

1- The fresher your herbs are, the best taste you will get in this recipe.

2- Using chicken or meat broth is much better that using water in cooking this dish.

3- In this recipe I used leaves to stuff, in this case (using leaves) we have to prepare leaves first before stuffing, by preparing water simmering on low heat, change the water for every leave type don't use the same water for cabbage and grape leaves to let each keeps its taste. Also use 1/2 tsp cumin in the cabbage water and 1 tsp of dried mint in grape leaves water, put the appropriate quantity of leaves so the cover the surface of the water for 3 to 4 minutes approx. and repeat till finish.

4- Some people use a plate to put on "Mahshy" between it and the lid while cooking the first 10 minutes, so the stuffed leaves don't float when adding broth or water, but I didn't use it here because I have a small pan full to the top with "Mahshy" and it was well covered.
5- For vegan version use water instead of broth and vegetable bouillon instead of chicken bouillon. 

Prep. time: 90 minutes approx. (stuffing & preparing leaves).

Cooking time: 20 minutes (depends on the quantity)

Serves: 6 people

Ingredients:

6 cups Egyptian rice (short grain)

1 small to medium cabbage 

250 gm grap leaves (I used frozen "Farm Frites" leaves one of the best brands)

1 small pack parsley

1 small pack dill

3 onions

3 tomatos

1/4 cup tomato paste

1 tbsp salt

1 tsp cumin

2 chicken bouillon cubes

1 tbsp dried mint

1 tbsp paprika

1/2 tsp chili powder

1/2 tbsp ground black pepper

2 onions, sliced

4 cups chicken broth

Directions:

1- After preparing the leaves like mentioned above, put the onions, tomatoes, spices, tomato paste, bouillon cubes, parsley and dill in a food processor (don't add dried mint or onion slices), mix all of them without making a juice just a coarse mixture to give a better taste.

2- Wash the rice well and strain it, place it in a bowl with the mixture and stir till they mix well together (without cooking).

3- Begin to stuff the grape leaves, prepare a suitable pan (small) place half the onion slices in the bottom of it then a layer of three grape leaves, and sprinkle hlaf the mint on it, stuff the grape leaves by placing each on a plate and place the appropriate quantity of rice like this.

4- Fold the leaf this way.

5- Fold the other side, and start to roll.

6- Fold the side edges of the leaf like so.

7- Begin to roll while folding the edges so the rice doesn't go out.

8- Roll it till you finish like this.

9- Finish half the rice in stuffing grape leaves then begin to stuff cabbage. After plzcing all stuffed grape leaves in the pan put it on a high heat with 2 cups of chicken broth and cover till boil then lower the heat to low and allow it to cook in about 20 minutes.

10- Prepare the cabbage, cut the thick vein in the middle of it and cut it into halfs or 4 pieces (depemding on how big it is), then start stuffing like this, add the appropriate quantity of rice.

11- Roll the leaf till finished, it's much easier than grape leaves.

12- Prepare the appropriate pan for the cabbage by placing the rest of onion slices, and a layer of two leaves or veins, place the stuffed cabbage leaves and put the pan well covered on high heat with 2 cups of chicken broth till boil then lower the heat to low and allow it to cook for abuot 15 minutes, after "Mahshy" is cookedserve it with your preferred meat or chicken and... Bon Apetit :)