OUMENSE ONDER DIE KOMBERSE – MEATBALLS IN CABBAGE LEAVES
- 2 meaty bones or marrow bones (very important, to give depth in flavor)
- 3 onions, finely chopped
- 3 tablespoons cooking oil
- 2 teaspoons black pepper
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- 3 cloves
- 3 all spice
- 1 tablespoon butter
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 large cabbage
- For the meatballs:
- 500 g steak mince
- 5 pieces white bread soaked in water then squeezed dry
- 2 garlic cloves peeled and finely grated
- 1 peeled onion, grated
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon parsley
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon crushed chilies, optional
Heat a large pot or saucepan and add your bones and onions, cloves, all spice and salt.
Braise till brown, add black pepper and add a cup of hot water.
Cook till onions are almost gravy like, adding water when needed.
While this is simmering away – we make the meatballs.
Simply mix all the meatball ingredients together in a bowl with your hands, place covered in fridge while you prepare the cabbage leaves.
Now check your pot with the bones and onions and give it another stir, ensuring that it don’t burn. Keep on simmer.
The Cabbage Leaves:
Separate the whole cabbage into leaves, cutting the thick vein away or else you won’t be able to fold the leaves.
Now place the leaves 3 at a time in a large pot with boiling water.
Let it cook for just a minute, remove with a slotted spoon and repeat with the other cabbage leaves.
Take out your meatball mix from the fridge – roll little balls and place in center of cabbage leaves and roll up into little parcels.
Place cabbage parcels into the brown onion gravy, neatly next to each other, add 1 tablespoon of butter at this stage and sprinkle with a little nutmeg. Allow to simmer on a medium heat for 35 minutes.
Serve with white rice and some lemon atchar.
Photo and recipe: Deirdre van Rensburg
