1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Rinse cabbage in cold water and remove core. Carefully place into boiling water. Cook until tender enough to remove leaves. Remove leaves as they loosen. I reserve the boiled water to cook the cabbage rolls later, this retains the nutrients from the boiled cabbage leaves. Meanwhile, prepare rice to soak.

2. If not pre-rinsed, rinse rice in cold water and allow to soak in enough water to cover completely and allow more water for it to absorb. Allow to soak for 20-30 minutes.

3. In a large bowl, place meat, salt, pepper, parsley, nutmeg and half the tomatoes. Mix lightly with a fork.

4. Drain rice well from water. Add to meat and mix together until well blended, using a fork or spoon. Sprinkle with dried mint and mix lightly.

5. In a large saucepot, pour olive oil and the remaining half of tomatoes. Remove any tough stems from cabbage leaves and add them to the bottom of the pot. Also, add any leaves which are broken and cannot be used to roll up with stuffing. Sprinkle with a dash of salt and add some chopped garlic.

6. Turn cabbage leaves flat on work surface face side up. Place about 1 Tbsp, more or less depending on size of leaf, of meat and rice filling onto each leaf near the center. Begin rolling up and folding sides in and roll up like a cigar. Layer the cabbage rolls close together in the pot in one direction. Sprinkle with a dash of salt and some chopped garlic. Begin a next layer placing rolls close together in the opposite direction of first layer. Sprinkle a little salt and chopped garlic. Repeat until all leaves are stuffed. 

7. Top the final layer with the chopped garlic, cumin and a dash of salt. Place a heavy plate on top of the last row. Pour enough water, or the reserved cabbage water, to cover up to the plate. Add the juice of 2 lemons.  Cover pot and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce heat and cook on simmer partially covered for 30 minutes. Remove cover and plate. Add remaining lemon juice and simmer an additional 10 to 15 minutes.

There are some variations to this dish. Some cooks do not use any tomatoes and spices are varied from home to home. As my mother-in-law does, try adding about 2 teaspoons of freshly ground cardammom seeds to the meat and rice filling. It is marvelous! This is a tangy and zesty stuffed cabbage, you will not be able to resist. Enjoy this delicious Middle Eastern style stuffed cabbage!