Dolma

Instructions

1. Soak the grape leaves for an hour and squeeze.
2. In a large bowl, mix all of the filling ingredients together.
3. Place liquid ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to simmer. Set aside until ready to use.
4. Using one grape leaf at a time, place it on your work surface, shiny side down. Trim and discard each grape leaf stem.
5. Add 1 tablespoon of the rice mixture to the middle of the grape leaf.
6. Fold the sides over the rice and roll the leaf into a small log shape, about the size of your thumb. Repeat with the remaining rice.
7. Line the bottom of a medium stock pot with torn grape leaves, then arrange the stuffed leaves in the pot.
8. When the dish is full, cover the stuffed leaves with several layers of flat grape leaves and pour in reserved stock liquid.
9. Place a small dish upside-down on top of grape leaves and cover and cook on medium heat for 30 minutes. Let rest for 15-20 minutes before serving.

Notes

Pronounced ‘tolma’ in Armenia, dolma is another dish you may recognise and think you know. Made from a mix of minced meat, onion, rice, and various spices, all wrapped up in a vine leaf, they are a staple across the eastern Mediterranean. But there’s something different about the Armenia dolma – both on how they are prepared and in the ingredients used. Every Armenian grandmother has their own dolma recipe, but all agree that the key is in how you prepare the leaves. The key is to remove them from boiling water as soon as they change colour. Armenians are also more adventurous with ingredients, too. Expect to find lentils, tomatoes, courgette, aubergine, mint, red peppers, coriander and onions as well as the more traditional rice. Keep an eye out for the special dolma produced especially for Easter. The ingredients are largely the same, but the vine leaves are replaced with cabbage leaves.