Պ ա ս ո ւ ց տ ո լ մ ա
vegetarian cabbage rolls for Lent
“All Armenian women can cook,” says Ruzanna Hovhannisyan, who happens to be a physicist. In her Yerevan flat, she served us a platter of these cabbage-wrapped bundles filled with chickpeas, lentils, and beans, a classic meat-free preparation made during Lent. (Pas means “for Lent.”) With bulgur as a backdrop, the end result is rich in texture and protein, making it a perfect option to have on the table for a meatless meal.
Some women make pasuts tolma with fermented cabbage leaves, but you don’t have to start with fermented leaves. For a tangy finish, we drizzle the tolma with vinegar before serving. In this method, we prepare the leaves by boiling the whole head of cabbage in water and then separating the leaves, which can be done a day ahead. If you’d rather cook dried beans and chickpeas for this recipe instead of using canned, read over Cooking Dried Beans (page 32) and use the bean cooking water to cook the tolma. Before you start, have a heavy-bottomed pot, about 4 to 6 qt [4 to 5.7 L] in capacity, and a stock pot ready.
Serves 4 to 6
2 Tbsp kosher salt
1 large head green cabbage
FILLING
2 Tbsp sunflower oil or other neutral oil
1 yellow onion, finely diced
One 15.5 oz [440 g] can chickpeas, drained
One 14 oz [400 g] can green or brown lentils, drained
One 15.5 oz [440 g] can red kidney beans, drained
1 cup [170 g] medium-grain bulgur
1 tsp sweet paprika
1 Tbsp tomato paste
2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 cup [10 g] finely chopped cilantro
1/4 cup [10 g] finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 Tbsp sliced opal basil (optional)
TO SERVE
1 Tbsp tomato paste
Juice of 1/2 lemon
3 Tbsp vinegar, for drizzling
To prepare the cabbage leaves, find a large pot that will fit the whole head of cabbage (at least 8 qt [7.5 L]). Fill the pot halfway with water, season with the salt, and bring to a boil.
With a sharp paring knife, cut out the core of the cabbage, but make sure the head stays intact. Have a large bowl of ice water and a towel-lined half-sheet pan ready. With a pair of tongs, carefully lower the cabbage into the water, cover the pot, and boil the cabbage on one side until the outer leaves begin to separate, about 4 minutes. Turn the heat off, pull off any of the outer cooked leaves, and plunge them into the ice water (they peel away easily when cooked). Rotate the cabbage to cook the other side, cover the pot, and bring it back to a boil. Cook the cabbage for 4 minutes. Turn the heat off, pull off more of the cooked cabbage leaves, and plunge them in the ice water. If any of the inner leaves look raw or refuse to pull apart without tearing, leave them in the water for another minute or two, then try to pull them off again. When all of the leaves have been cooked and chilled, drain the leaves and lay them out on the towel-lined pan.
To make the filling, heat the oil in a sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, until the onion softens and starts to brown on the edges, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate and let cool.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the chickpeas, lentils, kidney beans, bulgur, paprika, tomato paste, and cooled onions. Season with the salt, pepper, and herbs and mix thoroughly. You will have about 8 cups [2 L] of filling.
Line the bottom and sides of a 4 to 6 qt [4 to 5.7 L] heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven with the torn or damaged leaves. Leave some overhanging leaves on the side of the pot.
To roll the cabbage leaves, on a clean counter, working with one leaf at a time, flatten out a leaf and place it with the inside facing up and the stem end closest to you. On the base of the leaf near the stem, place 1/3 to 1/2 cup [85 to 115 g] of the filling, keeping a border of at least 1 in [2.5 cm] from the edge of the leaf. (If the cabbage leaf is a little smaller, use less filling so it’s still easy to roll the leaf up.) Fold the left and right sides of the leaf over the filling and then roll it up tightly, starting from the bottom, like a burrito. Place the roll seam-side down in the lined pot. Continue filling and rolling until all of the filling is used. As you work, line up the tolmas nice and snug in the pot in one layer if possible. You will have about 16 rolls of various sizes.
To cook, mix the tomato paste with the lemon juice and pour it over the top. Fold the extra leaves lining the sides of the pot over the top and fill the pot with water until it reaches the top of the tolma. Cover the pot with a lid and place it on the stove. Bring the pot to a simmer, then decrease the heat to low and cook the tolma for 12 minutes, just enough time for the flavors to come together and the bulgur to hydrate.
Remove the pot from the heat and let it cool down for a few minutes. Pour off the extra water from the pot. Carefully lift the tolma out of the pot and transfer to a warmed serving platter. Drizzle the vinegar over the top. Leftover tolma keep, refrigerated, for up to 5 days.
