Shalbatou with Rice

Ingredients

• 3 heads Cabbage
• 1 kilogram Rice
• quantity optional Meat
• 6 Carrots
• 5 tablespoons Ghee
• 1 tablespoon Salt
• 1 teaspoon Black pepper
• as needed Cold water for soaking the rice
• as needed Warm water for soaking the rice when in a hurry
• enough to cover it Hot water for blanching the cabbage
• you may add any spices you like Additional spices
• 1 cup water for every cup of rice Cooking water for the rice

Instructions

1. Soak the rice in a bowl of cold water for half an hour before cooking.
2. The rice may be soaked in a bowl of warm water if time is short.
3. Cut the cabbage into medium pieces, neither too thin nor too thick.
4. Cut the carrots on a cutting board.
5. Put the cabbage in a pot and pour in hot water until it covers it slightly.
6. Boil the cabbage in the pot for five minutes to blanch it, not to cook it through.
7. Remove the foam from the surface of the pot, then drain the cabbage in a colander.
8. Heat the ghee in the cooking pot.
9. Add the meat to the pot and stir it in the ghee until cooked.
10. Add the carrots to the pot when the meat is nearly cooked, then leave them until cooked.
11. Add the cabbage to the pot after the meat and carrots are cooked.
12. Stir the meat, carrots, and cabbage in the pot until they take on the flavor of the ghee.
13. Add the salt and black pepper to the pot; you may add any spices you like.
14. Add the rice to the pot and stir all the ingredients together.
15. Add water to the pot at a ratio of 1 cup of water for every cup of rice.
16. Leave the pot over high heat until the mixture comes to a boil.
17. When some of the water in the pot has evaporated, cover the pot and set it to the lowest heat.
18. Leave the rice in the pot over the lowest heat for 15 minutes, until cooked.