YEA Cookbook: Armenian Pasuts Tolma

Prep Time: 15 min   |   Cooking Time: 30 min   |   Servings: 8

Tolma are made year-round, and there is a festival dedicated to variations of the dish, which started in 2011 . Pasuts Tolma is specifically made for fasting, and bigger than other variations of tolma.

Ingredients 

900 grams pickled cabbage leaves, washed and drained 

2 (400g) cans of white or red kidney beans

1 (400g) can of lentils 

1 (400g) can of chickpeas 

¾ cup fine bulgur wheat 

1 large onion, finely chopped 

5-7 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 

1 tbsp tomato paste

1 tbsp red pepper paste

½ tsp ground pepper

1 tsp paprika

½ tsp cayenne or red chili flakes 

½ tsp ground coriander 

2-3 tsp dried herbs (dill, basil, thyme)

3-4 tbsp chopped fresh herbs (dill, coriander and parsley)

1 tsp salt 

6-8 dried sour plums 

1 ½ – 2 cups boiling hot water

Directions

Wash and drain the cabbage leaves and set aside.

Finely chop the onions and sautée with oil until lightly golden, then stir in the tomato and red pepper paste.Mix and cook for another 2-3 minutes on medium heat and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the beans, lentils, chickpeas, bulgur wheat, spices, salt, fresh and dried herbs and add the sautéed onion mixture as well. Mix well to combine.

Stuff the cabbage leaves with a good amount of the mixture and wrap.Arrange the stuffed cabbage leaves inside your cooking pot, making sure they fit snugly together.

Place the sour plums on top of the stuffed cabbage leaves. Add the boiling water to the pot until it covers the bottom. Place a plate on top of the layer of stuffed cabbage leaves.

Cook on medium heat for 25-30 minutes, partly covered. Remove from the heat and allow to rest for at least an hour before serving!