MALFOOF for Dinner

Would that everyone were so lucky to have Monsieur Biebers prepare dinner, no ordinary dinner, but a dinner to write home about! In an  inspired moment, hungry after a vigorous stroll on the beach, our Monsieur Biebers gathered his *intuitive culinary skills and went to work in the kitchen.

He started with a humble head of cabbage, removing a few whole leaves to form the base of his creation. Then he sautéed in tahini, (olive oil optional) and the perfect amount of lemon juice, vinegar and water, chopped onions, the rest of the cabbage chopped, chopped carrots, generous quantities of minced garlic with a few cups of Jasmine rice. As this mixture steeped and melded, he added the essential spice – cumin – with a pinch of cinnamon and salt and pepper to taste.

In the meanwhile, he soaked the whole cabbage leaves in boiling water until tender, about 5 to 10 minutes, before arranging them in a large skillet to form the base of his mystery dish. Into this cabbage leaf base he scooped the rice and vegetable mixture to which he added small quantities of hot water to ensure the rice was cooked to perfection. A large plate served as the lid to weight down the mixture in the cabbage leaves. When cool enough to touch, he flipped the large skillet with plate lid intact so that the cooked cabbage leaf base encased the rice mixture and easily slipped from skillet to plate, forming a magnificent Malfoof!

Our Monsieur Biebers cut generous slices of his masterpiece and served it to eager diners with a spritz of fresh squeezed lemon juice— truly, an inspired meal to nourish body and soul!

*Monsieur Biebers does not measure ingredients or use recipes. He relies on his memories of favorite family dishes, his sense of smell and his knowledge of wholesome ingredients. I call this intuitive cooking.