Golumpki: Polish stuffed cabbage rolls

Cook the rice for half the time suggested on the packet, so it’s semi-cooked. Meanwhile, wash the cabbage, remove the outer leaves and the core and then place into boiling hot water with a pinch of salt.

Boil the cabbage for around 5 minutes, or until the leaves are soft, and then drain and cool. Keep the water for later.

Chop the onions and then add to a pan over a medium to high heat until softened with the butter. Add the minced meat and fry until brown.

Mix the onions, minced meat and rice together in a large mixing bowl, then season with salt, black pepper, paprika and chopped parsley. If the mixture is looking a little dry, add extra butter or a splash of the cabbage water to ensure it’s sticky enough to wrap into the cabbage leaves. Preheat the oven to gas 4, 180°C, fan 160°C.

Place the cabbage leaves onto a chopping board and then place a couple of tablespoons of the meat mixture into each leaf, with the bottom of the leaf facing towards you. Fold the bottom of the leaf over the mixture, and then wrap in the left and right of the leaf to form a triangular shape. Then roll away from you, until the cabbage leaf is neatly rolled into a rectangular shape. Place into an ovenproof pan and repeat until all the leaves have been filled.

Mix the tomato paste with the cabbage water. You’ll need enough water to almost cover the stuffed cabbage rolls. Pour the tomato mixture over the rolls, then set an oven proof plate over the top of the rolls. Cover the pan with the lid and then cook in the oven for 1 ½ to 2 hours.

Remove from the oven and carefully take the plate away with tongs. Serve hot with the cooked tomato sauce poured over the top.

Tips & tricks

The trickiest part of making golumpki rolls is getting the cabbage rolling spot on! To help with this part of the process, some chefs will cut a small slit into the hard stalk at the base of the cabbage leaf. This opens the leaf out and makes it easier to wrap into a tight cabbage roll. You will also want to keep a close eye on the consistency of the meat mixture, as, if this is too dry, it becomes very difficult to wrap into the leaves. Add a splash of water or more butter if it needs a little help sticking together.

Variation of the recipe

There are several different names for this cabbage dish. In Poland you will more commonly hear golumpki referred to as gołąbki, and, in Slovak areas, you might notice this dish being referred to as halpuki. Whatever the label, these dishes are all made in a similar way, wrapping a meaty mixture into boiled cabbage leaves. It is possible, though, to make a vegetarian version of the recipe using a mushroom-based mixture for the filling, instead of mince.

Storage

Golumpki rolls are best stored in airtight containers in the fridge, or wrapped in aluminium foil. They will last for around three days in the fridge, if stored properly.