Kelem dolmasi Recipe

Fill a large saucepan with salted water and bring it to a boil over high heat. Remove any loose outer leaves from the cabbage and set them aside. Place the whole cabbage head into the boiling water and blanch for 3 to 4 minutes, turning it if needed to ensure even cooking. This softens the leaves, making them easier to remove without tearing.

Carefully remove the cabbage from the water, keeping the water boiling. Let it cool for a minute or two until it's cool enough to handle. Gently pull the leaves off, cutting them at the base if necessary. If the inner leaves are still stiff, return the cabbage to the boiling water for another 3 to 4 minutes, repeating until all usable leaves are pliable and separated.

Line the bottom of a large stockpot with the discarded cabbage leaves and stalks; this will create a bed for steaming. Carefully arrange the rolled dolma on top of this cabbage bed.

Add water to the stockpot, filling it up to the top of the discarded leaves, but ensure the water does not cover the dolma. To prevent the dolma from unwrapping during cooking, place a heat-safe plate or pie pan on top of them, then weigh it down with something heavy, like a mortar and pestle or another oven-safe dish.

Bring the water in the stockpot to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 25 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare a simple tomato sauce by whisking the tomato puree with 3 tablespoons of water. Heat this sauce over a medium flame for a few minutes until warmed through.

After the dolma have simmered for 25 minutes, pour the tomato sauce evenly over them. Continue to cook for another 5 minutes. The dolma are ready when the cabbage is tender and the filling is cooked through.