Lenten Cabbage Rolls 🥬 Montenegrin Mountain-Style 🇲🇪 (Posna Sarma)

Description

Brined cabbage leaves stuffed with a savory mix of rice, mushrooms, and walnuts—gentle tang, paprika warmth, and a clean, meatless depth. 🫶🥣
Hook: Roll once, then let a low simmer do the work—tender, aromatic, strictly fasting-friendly. ⚡

Ingredients

• Cabbage & pot
• 🥬 Sauerkraut cabbage leaves, rinsed & patted dry: 18–20 leaves (from 1 medium head / ≈1.2–1.5 kg / 2.6–3.3 lb)
• 🥬 Shredded sauerkraut (for layering): 200 g (2 cups / 7 oz)
• 🌿 Bay leaves: 2
• 💧 Vegetable stock or water: 1–1.2 l (4–5 cups / 34–40 fl oz)
• Filling
• 🫗 Sunflower oil: 45 ml (3 tbsp / 1.5 fl oz)
• 🧅 Onion, fine dice: 250 g (1¾ cups / 8.8 oz)
• 🥕 Carrot, fine dice: 100 g (¾ cup / 3.5 oz)
• 🍄 Mushrooms, very finely chopped: 300 g (2 cups / 10.6 oz)
• 🧄 Garlic, minced: 9 g (3 cloves / 0.32 oz)
• 🌾 Medium-grain rice, rinsed: 200 g (1 cup / 7 oz)
• 🌶️ Sweet paprika: 8 g (1 tbsp / 0.28 oz)
• 🍅 Tomato paste: 30 g (2 tbsp / 1.1 oz)
• 🌿 Dried savory or thyme: 1 g (1 tsp / 0.04 oz)
• 🌰 Walnuts, finely chopped (Montenegrin mountain touch): 40 g (⅓ cup / 1.4 oz)
• 🧂 Salt: to taste (≈9 g / 1½ tsp)
• ⚫ Black pepper: 1 g (½ tsp / 0.04 oz)
• 💧 Hot water (to loosen filling): 120 ml (½ cup / 4 fl oz)

Preparation

1. 1️⃣ Prep leaves: If leaves are very salty or stiff, rinse and quick-blanch 1–2 min; trim thick ribs so they roll easily.
2. 2️⃣ Make filling: Warm 🫗 oil; sauté 🧅 onion + 🥕 carrot 5–6 min. Add 🍄 mushrooms; cook until moisture evaporates 5–7 min. Stir in 🧄 garlic 30 sec. Add 🌾 rice, 🌶️ paprika, and 🍅 paste; cook 1 min. Pour 💧 hot water, add 🌿 herb, 🧂 salt, ⚫ pepper; simmer 2–3 min until saucy. Off heat, fold in 🌰 walnuts; cool 5 min.
3. 3️⃣ Roll: Place 2–3 tbsp filling on each 🥬 leaf; fold sides and roll tight.
4. 4️⃣ Pot up: Line the pot with a handful of 🥬 shredded kraut and 🌿 bay. Arrange rolls seam-down, snugly. Scatter remaining shredded kraut over. Pour 💧 stock to almost cover; weight with a small plate.
5. 5️⃣ Simmer: Cover and cook 60–75 min at a gentle bubble until rice is tender. Rest 10–15 min before serving.

Total Time

🕒 Prep: 30 min
🔥 Cook: 60–75 min
⏳ Total: 1 h 35–45 min

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