Sweet and Sour Stuffed Cabbage

Ingredients

• 1 cup water
• 0.67 cups uncooked white rice
• 2 heads cabbage , cored
• 3 pounds ground beef chuck
• 2 cups ketchup , divided
• 2 eggs
• 3 teaspoons garlic powder , divided
• salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 3 cans crushed tomatoes , 28 ounce
• 1 onion , sliced
• 0.5 cups raisins
• 1 teaspoon citric acid powder
• 1 cup white sugar , Optional

Instructions

1. 1

   Bring water and rice to a boil in a saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until rice is tender and liquid has been absorbed, 20 to 25 minutes.

2. 2

   Fill a large pot with water; bring to a boil. Add 1 head cabbage; boil until softened but still firm, about 5 minutes. Remove cabbage from pot; cool for 15 minutes. Repeat with remaining 1 head cabbage.

3. 3

   Add ground beef, cooked rice, ½ cup ketchup, eggs, 1 ½ teaspoons garlic powder, salt, and black pepper to a bowl; mix with your hands until well combined.

4. 4

   Shave a slice off large veins in center of cabbage leaves so they're easier to roll. Place a heaping spoonful filling in center of 1 leaf. Fold in left and right edges, then roll up leaf from the bottom, forming a tight cylinder. Secure with toothpicks if necessary. Continue filling and rolling leaves; set aside smaller cabbage leaves.

5. 5

   Chop reserved cabbage leaves; add to a large pot. Add crushed tomatoes, sliced onion, raisins, ½ cup ketchup, remaining 1 ½ teaspoons garlic powder, citric acid powder (sour salt), salt, and black pepper. Stir in ½ cup white sugar; bring to a boil.

6. 6

   Taste sauce; add remaining ½ cup sugar if desired. Place cabbage rolls into sauce. Pour remaining 1 cup ketchup on top of rolls. Cover pot; reduce heat to a simmer.

7. 7

   Cook rolls for 3 hours, basting every 30 minutes.