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1
In a big enough pot, bring water to boil. Add salt and stir to dissolve. Turn the heat down to low medium and put the cabbage into the pot. As the cabbage starts to cook, leafs will loosen and you will be able to cut them at stem and peel them off without damaging them. Let the loose leafs is a pot to cook for 3-4 more minutes, so they become soft and manageable.
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2
Transfer the soft leafs into a bowl, cover the bowl, and continue working on your cabbage until you reach the heart of the cabbage.
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3
Wash rice and soak it in warm water for 1/2 an hour.
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4
In a skillet heat the olive oil and brown ground beef with garlic, cumin, chili peppers, black pepper, and salt.
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5
Maybe it will seem like a lot of olive oil, but when the rice joins the party, the oil will be absorbed.
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6
Drain rice, add it to the meat, and stir over medium heat for about 3 - 4 minutes. Remove from heat, add parsley, and stir to combine. Transfer the filling into a big enough bowl and let it cool down a bit.
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7
MAKING CABBAGE LOAFS:
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8
Cut a cabbage leaf in half and remove the core.
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9
Place approximately 1 tbsp of filling on the edge of the leaf.
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10
Roll into a loaf and put it into a baking dish. Do not roll too tight, because the rice is still raw and it needs space to expand while cooking. Otherwise you will end up with crunchy rice inside a tasty cabbage loaf. Not appetizing at all! You will end up with 40 - 42 cabbage loafs.
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11
Cover the cabbage loafs with the remaining small cabbage leafs. Pour a mixture of 1 tbsp tomato paste, 1 tbsp Vegeta, 1 tbsp olive oil, and 2 cups of water, over the cabbage loafs, cover with aluminum foil, and put the baking dish into a 425*F preheated oven for 1 hour on the lower rack of the oven.
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12
After one hour pull the dish out of oven and let in stand covered for at least 20 minutes on a counter top before serving.
