Malfouf Mahshi (Stuffed Cabbage Rolls)

Malfouf mahshi is stuffed cabbage, the patient cousin of stuffed grape leaves, made by rolling cabbage leaves around herbed rice and beef and simmering them in a lemony garlic broth. It is a dish of big family batches and long afternoons in the kitchen, and it holds a place of honor on Egyptian tables. The cabbage is boiled until the leaves turn silky, which makes them surprisingly forgiving to work with, and some families add a little tomato paste while others keep it pure and lemony; both are right.

Silky cabbage rolls in lemony garlic broth

Simmered low and slow, the rolls soften into tender bundles that soak up the garlicky, lemon-bright broth. The filling swells into a savory, herb-fragrant center, and the whole pot turns fragrant with dill and allspice. The garlic cloves tucked into the pot melt into sweet nuggets that are the cook’s reward. Served with lemon wedges and a bowl of yogurt, malfouf is the definition of a labor-of-love dinner, and leftovers are famously even better the next day.

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