I felt like eating stuffed cabbage, but didn’t have time to separate and boil the leaves, then stuff them one by one, so I decided to make it lazy-style. It’s not as pretty, but tastes very good on those days you just don’t have the time for rolling them.

To be clear – It isn’t a replacement for the original – and certainly not something you’d make for company – but a quick, easy weeknight option has its place.

We had this with salad, a dollop of plain Greek yogurt, and a generous squeeze of lemon.

Deconstructed Levantine Cabbage Rolls (Lazy Malfouf)

1-2 tablespoons cooking oil
½ cup onion, finely chopped
½ cup parsley, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
3 cups sliced/chopped cabbage (about half a small head of cabbage)
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon coriander
1 teaspoon turmeric

1 tablespoon cooking oil
1 cup ground beef (or lamb)
2 cloves garlic, chopped

½ cup crushed tomatoes (or 1 chopped fresh tomato and its juice)
2 cups Jasmine rice, rinsed with cold water till water runs clear
salt and fresh cracked black pepper, to taste
2-3 cups stock (chicken or vegetable stock-or a good place to use the turkey stock you made after Thanksgiving ? )
Lemon wedges, plain yogurt

Heat oil in pot. Add onions and garlic. Saute for 2 minutes. Add cabbage, parsley, spices, and half a teaspoon of salt. Saute 2 more minutes. Add 1/2 cup water, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it looks like this.

Meanwhile, in a skillet, saute ground beef and 2 cloves of garlic, until the meat is cooked through. Drain off fat, and add meat to cabbage.

Add tomatoes, rice, and 2-3 cups stock (start with 2 cups, adding more if needed), and salt and pepper to taste. Stir well. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and cover.

Cook 12-15 minutes more, till rice is cooked and liquid is absorbed.

Serve with plain yogurt and lemon wedges to squeeze onto rice.

Optional step : heat 1 tablespoon cooking oil over high heat. Add 1-2 cloves chopped garlic, and cook, stirring constantly, until garlic is golden brown. Pour oil and garlic onto rice.