Instructions
Follow the steps and taste along the way.
Cook the rice and prepare the leaves
Rinse the rice, add 360 ml of water, and bring to a boil. Cover and cook over low heat for 12 minutes, then remove from the heat and let stand for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil, blanch the cabbage leaves for 2 to 3 minutes, then cool them in cold water. Shallowly trim the thick central rib of each leaf so it can be rolled.
Brown the meat filling
Finely chop the onion and mince the garlic. Heat 15 ml of oil in a pan, cook the onion for 4 minutes until softened, then add the garlic and stir for 30 seconds. Add the beef, smoked paprika, 3 g of salt, and half of the black pepper. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, breaking the meat into small pieces with a spoon, until browned and no pink remains.
Combine the filling and prepare the sauce
Mix the cooked rice with the browned meat and chopped parsley. Taste and add 1 g of salt. In a baking dish, combine the strained tomatoes, broth, chopped dill, lemon juice, the remaining 3 g of salt, the rest of the black pepper, and 5 ml of oil.
Roll the cabbage leaves
Preheat the oven to 190 °C. Place about one-eighth of the filling on each cabbage leaf, fold the sides inward, and roll tightly. Arrange the rolls seam-side down in the sauce in the baking dish; they should be almost submerged.
Bake and serve
Cover the dish with a lid or tightly with foil and bake for 30 minutes at 190 °C. Uncover and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes, until the sauce has reduced slightly. The thickest roll should reach at least 71 °C in the center. Let the dish rest for 5 minutes before serving; taste the sauce and, if needed, adjust the acidity with a few drops of lemon juice from the stated amount.
