Grape Leaves with Vegan Rice Stuffing
One of the classic olive oil dishes.
Servings 1 Serving dish
Calories 35kcal
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.