Vegetarian sarma

Serves 4-6 Starters and mains

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Method

For the filling, clean and peel the mushrooms, carrot, potato, celeriac, kohlrabi, pepper, onion and tomato as needed and coarsely grate or cut into very small cubes. Crush the coriander seeds in a mortar. Finely chop the dill and pluck the thyme leaves from the stems. Place all the ingredients except the rice in a large saucepan, cook for around 10 minutes and then allow to cool for 15-20 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring the vinegar, salt and bay leaf to the boil in a large pan with enough water to cover the cabbage.

Cut out the stem of the cabbage with a pointed knife. Place the cabbage head in the boiling water and cook for around 10 minutes, then pull off the individual leaves. This is best done with a pair of tongs, removing the leaves one at a time while leaving the cabbage in the pan. Alternatively, take the cabbage out of the water, allow it to cool briefly and then pull off the leaves.

Lay out the cabbage leaves flat on a chopping board and cut out the rib in the middle of each. Cut large leaves into three triangular pieces; smaller ones into two.

Season the cooled vegetables to taste, then fold in the uncooked rice. Lay one cabbage leaf in the flat of your hand, put around 1tbsp of the vegetable filling on it and roll it up towards the tip – when it is filled, the leaf should look like a small ice-cream cone. Stick the overhanging piece of cabbage into the opening at the top and seal up the roll. Repeat this process until all the filling is used up. Shaping the rolls takes a bit of practice, but you will soon master it – and it is worth the effort.

Cut the remaining cabbage into strips, lay these in the bottom of a large, shallow saucepan and place the rolls tightly together on top. Pour in enough water to cover the sarma. Bring to the boil, then cover and cook over a low heat for 1 hour. Serve hot or warmed.