Cookbook:Stuffed Grape Leaves

Stuffed Grape Leaves
Category	Appetizer recipes
Servings	20 +
Time	1 hour
Difficulty

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Grape leaves (stuffed), (Arabic: ورق دوالي); (Hebrew: עלי גפן ממולאים), are an appetizer popular in Middle Eastern countries, including Turkey and Persia, where it is usually eaten with stuffed rice that has been seasoned with a multitude of spices.

Ingredients

• Batch of thin, freshly-picked grape leaves (choose only the thinnest leaves)
• 1 kg uncooked rice, rinsed
• Turmeric
• Black pepper
• 2 tsp salt
• Dried mint leaves
• 1 cup raisins
• Fresh dill, finely chopped
• Parsley
• Green onions (scallions)
• Cooking oil
• 2 lemon

Procedure

1. Soak leaves in boiling hot water to soften, about 15 minutes.
2. Combine the rice, turmeric, pepper, salt, mint, raisins, dill, parsley and green onions.
3. Place some of the rice mixture on a leaf, close to one end. Fold the three smaller ends of the leaf over the filling, then roll up the remainder like a sleeping bag or mat. Repeat with remaining rice and leaves.
4. Place stuffed leaves in pot with a little water, oil, and lemon juice—the liquid should just barely cover the stuffed leaves.
5. Cover pot with lid. First bring to a boil, then lower heat.
6. Cook over low heat until the rice is cooked.
7. Place sliced lemon on top of stuffed grape leaves for added flavour, and serve.

Notes, tips, and variations

• Arabs have a practice to place the fatty tail of a sheep on top of the grape leaves while cooking, so that the melted fat is absorbed in the rice and leaves; in this manner it imparts its good flavour.