Instructions

1. Steam the cabbage so the leaves can be separated from the head. After the leaves are removed, steam them again to make them more pliable for filling and rolling.

2. Place rice into boiling water for 2-3 minutes. Remove rice and strain water. The rice won't be cooked, but will be cooked later while it is mixed and rolled in the cabbage.

3. Add meat, rice, salt, pepper , tomato paste, parsley, onion, egg and water into a mixing bowl and hand-mix thoroughly. You can always add different seasonings to your taste. (I've even tried Cajun seasoning once and added curry to another batch.)

4. After mixing the ingredients, make a 1/4 pound ball, or handful of the mix, shape it into an oblong lump, then wrap it into the cabbage leaves. After the mixture is wrapped, gently poke your finger into each side of the wrap to ensure the leaf securely holds the mixture. My grandmother maintained that a properly rolled holupki can be tossed to another person across the room without losing a morsel to the floor.

5. Before you put holupki into the pot, place a few extra cabbage leaves on the bottom of the pot to protect the holupki from burning. Place the holupki into a pot , with a mixture of tomato sauce and water. The liquid mixture should come to the top of the holupki in the pot. You can add more water if the level isn't high enough.

6. Bring holupki to a slow boil, cover the pot, lower the heat and slowly simmer for 90 minutes.