A dear friend of mine likes to be a white-collar working woman and always associates preparing yaprak dolma aka stuffed grape leaves, with being a house wife – which she thinks is easier. What can I say, I am trying to be both of them.
If you are living in Istanbul, you are lucky – regarding dolma. You can buy ready vegan dolma even in weekly markets, in supermarkets or even order them home, and they are pretty much all tasty. I do the same from time to time. However whenever I want to boast or please my guests or have some extra time I find myself preparing dolma.
As most of my recipes, this is a recipe I have included in my Turkish Cooking Lessons and have prepared many times myself. The rolling and the part about the leaves is exactly the same as in ground meat dolma.
To start with; you should buy the correct leaves. In Turkey, the best are sold in the street markets, when you are buying tell the seller what you will cook. If you will cook this dish with groundmeat stuffing you will need smaller leaves. If you will go for a vegetarian version cooked with rice you will be offered larger leaves. Pickle shops is another alternative to buy good quality leaves. The best grape leaves come from a Turkish city called Tokat, which is where my in-laws come from. Supermarkets should be your last choice to buy grape leaves. You will be putting in lot of time to this dish, so buying good leaves is worth the effort.
I suggest you set the scene first. Prepare a table with a comfortable chair and with the following within your reach:
- TV or video remote controller
- Your phone
- All the thoroughly washed grape leaves
- A flat plate
- A teaspoon
- A scissors or a knife
- Stuffing
- Some paper towels
- And perhaps the best of all an extra pair of hands.
You should wash the leaves very well. These leaves are preserved with the help of a good amount of salt, so washing thoroughly is important.
You might be surprised, but I use a pressure cooker for this dish. I you choose not to use a pressure cooker any other large pot will do. Throw in some stalks and spread down a few stiff or worn leaves in the bottom of the pot to prevent the dolmas to stick in the bottom and get burnt.
Now you are ready to roll. Place a grape leaf on a flat dish. The shiny part should be facing downwards. Put a teaspoon of the stuffing on the part close to the stem. Fold two sides inwards and roll the wrap upwards like a cigar. Do not roll too loose or tight. Continue until either the leaves or the filling is finished.
When one or all of the leaves or the stuffing is finished, you are almost finished with the dish. You might want to cover with a plate so the rolls do not swim around while cooking.
The only tip you need about the stuffing is that you should not be overcooking the rice. It should be “almost” cooked, as it will be cooked again with the leaves.
If you have left over grape leaves you might want to serve them with a lovely Lentil and Bulgur Salad or prepare a Grape Leaves Soup or save it in the freezer to use next time. If you have left over stuffing stuff it in boiled cabbage leaves or a tomato.
Serve cold as an appetizer. Enjoy and show off.
Grape Leaves with Vegan Rice Stuffing
Ingredients
Grape Leaves and Cooking
- 300 grams grape leaves
- 150 milliliters water to cook
- 75 milliliters olive oil to cook
Stuffing
- 250 grams rice
- 200 milliliters water for the rice
- 175 milliliters olive oil for the rice
- 1 tomato
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 750 grams onion
- 2 garlic cloves crushed and minced
- 1 teaspoon dried mint flakes
- 1 tablespoon pine nut
- 1 tablespoon currant
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon all spice
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ bunch dill chopped
- ½ bunch parsley chopped
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon lemon
Instructions
Grape Leaves and Cooking
- Wash the grape leaves thoroughly. Cut off the stems, keep about 20 of the stems, discard the rest.
- Put the leaves in boiling water and keep there for 2-3 minutes, to get rid of excess salt. Be careful not to keep leaves in hot water too long. If the leaves become too soft, it will be difficult to roll and pack. Rinse under running water, drain and set aside.
- Put the saved stems and several ripped grape leaves to the bottom of your pot. This will prevent your "dolma" to stick on the bottom and/or get burnt.
- Place a grape leaf on a flat dish. The shiny part should be facing downward. Put ½ tablespoon of filling on the part of the leaf close to the stem. Fold two sides inwards and roll upwards like a cigar. Do not roll too loose or tight. Continue until either the leaves or the filling is finished.
- Place each roll in the pot, firmly side by side in circles as if curling a hose. Add 150 milliters of warm water and 75 milliliters olive oil. Put a porcelain plate on the very top so the dolma’s do not swim around in the pan. Drizzle the lemon juice if you choose to add some.
- Cook at high heat first. Then when the water boils, reduce the heat to medium. Cook until the leaves are cooked. For about half an hour. The water should be almost soaked up by then. Let cool. Serve as a side dish. Garnish with lemon wedges.
Stuffing
- Weigh the onions before peeling. Grate the onions or use a food processor.
- Peel and chop the tomato.
- Separately wash the rice, pine nut and the currant and drain.
- Pour about 150 milliliters of olive oil in a non stick pot. Add the pine nut. As soon as the pine nuts are slightly roasted, add the onions. Sauté until translucent. Once the onions are ready, add the crushed garlic and sauté another minute.
- Add the tomato and the tomato paste, mix.
- Add also the rice. Mix until combined.
- Add the salt, currant, sugar and the other spices. Also add the 200 millilitres warm water. Mix once and do not stir again until the rice is half cooked and the water is absorbed by the rice. Keep the lid covered. Cook over first high and then at low heat as possible.
- Rice should not be cooked all the way; as it will be cooked again with the grape leaves. Taste and add more salt or other spices if you find necessary.
- Wash and chop parsley and dill and add. Mix and cover lid. Set aside to cool.
Notes
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