Pasuts Tolma | Armenian Meatless Stuffed Cabbage Rolls with Beans

Drain and rinse the soaked chickpeas and beans, then put them in a pot with 2 liters of fresh water. For the first 10 minutes, leave the pot uncovered and bring the water to a vigorous boil; this rapid boil breaks down the natural toxin in red kidney beans, while gentle heating is not enough. Then reduce the heat to medium and cook for 50 minutes, until a chickpea mashes easily between your tongue and the roof of your mouth. Drain. Add the tomato paste and pickled leaves only after the legumes have softened; acid can keep partially cooked legumes firm.

Sort and rinse the lentils, then boil them in 500 ml water for 15 minutes. They should remain intact with a firm center; they will finish cooking inside the rolls. Drain.

Finely chop the onion and sauté it in oil over medium heat for 10 minutes, until golden. Add 45 g tomato paste and the red pepper flakes; cook for 2 more minutes, until the raw aroma of the paste is gone, then remove from the heat.

Mix the chickpeas, beans, lentils, rinsed and drained raw bulgur, onion mixture, dried basil, black pepper, and salt. Lightly mash one-third of the chickpeas and beans with a fork; the mashed legumes bind the filling so it does not fall apart when a roll is cut.

Rinse the pickled cabbage leaves in cold water and cut out the thick central rib in a V shape. Cut large leaves in half to make 28 pieces measuring 12 × 15 cm; set aside torn pieces to line the bottom of the pot.

Place a heaping tablespoon of filling along the bottom edge of each leaf, fold in both sides, and roll firmly without pressing too hard. The bulgur swells as it cooks; rolls wrapped too tightly crack, while loose rolls open.

Line the bottom of the pot with torn leaves. Arrange the rolls tightly in rings, seam-side down. Dissolve 15 g tomato paste in hot water and pour in just enough to cover the rolls, then place an inverted plate on top. When the liquid boils, reduce the heat to the lowest setting, cover, and cook for 45 minutes. Cut one roll open; if the bulgur is tender and the liquid has been absorbed, turn off the heat.