-Take out the core from a small head of cabbage. Submerge the whole thing in a pot of salted water. Bring it to a boil and cook until the outer leaves are tender but not mushy. You want the leaves to be pliable enough to work with but not falling apart. Cut out the hard part of the lettuce leaves by slicing each piece into two and removing the middle of the leaf.
– Meanwhile, cook rice in 1 cup water until rice is almost done but not all the way. Set aside and let cool.
– Sauté onion in olive oil on medium heat until golden brown then add garlic, carrots, salt, seasoning, black pepper and basil. Cook for 5-6 minutes until mixture is golden. Let cool to room temperature.
– In medium bowl, combine together ground meat and mayonnaise – stir together to form paste. Add rice and onion mixture.
-Place approximately 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons onto the wide end of the triangle and roll by folding the cabbage inside. Fold the remaining cabbage into the top to seal the roll. Set finished rolls onto plate.
– To make topping: sauté onion in small skillet until golden brown, add tomato paste, sour cream and 1 ½ cups water. Pour sauce over rolls arranged in glass dish. Add additional water until rolls are half submerged. Bake in oven preheated to 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 45 minutes uncovered. Throughout the baking process, gently spoon liquid sauce onto rolls so the tops do not dry out.
Remove from oven and serve hot with sour cream.
