Prepare the Cabbage: Cut a deep circle around the stem of the cabbage head. Boil a pot of salted water and immerse the cabbage for about 10 minutes, until the leaves start to fall off. Use tongs to gently remove the softened leaves.

Make Filling: In a large bowl, mix together the ground meat, rinsed rice, chopped tomatoes, finely diced onion, and all the spices. Stir until well combined.

Stuff Cabbage Leaves: Take a cabbage leaf and cut it in half. Place a generous spoonful of the filling at the stem end, then roll it tightly without tucking in the sides. Repeat until all filling is used up.

Prepare Pot Base: In a pot, heat a generous splash of olive oil and sauté a whole head of garlic until golden. Add any reserved cabbage leaves as a layer at the bottom.

Layer Cabbage Rolls: Nestle the stuffed cabbage rolls closely in the pot on top of the sautéed garlic. Each one should stand proud!

Make Cooking Liquid: In a separate bowl, mix the tomato paste, red pepper paste, boiling water, cumin, bouillon cube, and salt. Pour this concoction over the cabbage rolls, ensuring they are fully submerged.

Simmer: Carefully place a heatproof plate atop the rolls to keep them submerged. Simmer on low heat for 2.5 hours.