Turkish Dolma with Rice

Ingredients

• Canned Grape Leaves 15 oz
• Olive Oil 0 fl oz
• Onion 3 heads
• Pistachios 0 oz
• Boiled White Round Rice 10 oz
• Light Raisins, Seedless 0 oz
• Passata Tomato Sauce 0 oz
• Salt to taste
• Ground Black Pepper to taste
• Cinnamon ½ spoons
• Dried Rosemary 1 tablespoon
• Sugar 1 tablespoon
• Water 25 fl oz
• Meyer Lemon Juice 5 fl oz
• Lemon ½ pieces
• Parsley 0 oz
• Dill 0 oz
• Paprika 1 tablespoon

Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1

Prepare all the ingredients. Rinse the grape leaves and let them drain in a colander.

Step 2

Rinse the rice until the water runs clear, then let it drain in a sieve.

Step 3

Finely chop the onion and sauté it in 45 ml of olive oil until soft.

Step 4

Add the pine nuts and continue to sauté until they are golden brown.

Step 5

Add the raisins and rinsed rice to the skillet, and sauté until the moisture has evaporated.

Step 6

Add 20 grams of tomato paste, salt, freshly ground black pepper, cinnamon, paprika, dried mint, sugar, 240 ml of water, and lemon juice. Stir well, cover with a lid, and simmer until all the water is absorbed by the rice.

Step 7

Finely chop the parsley and dill, and add them to the rice after removing it from the heat. The rice should not be fully cooked. Allow the filling to cool for about 10 minutes before wrapping the dolma.

Step 8

Place several unusable grape leaves at the bottom of a heavy-bottomed pot; this will prevent the dolma from burning.

Step 9

Place the grape leaf on a work surface with the shiny side facing down. Spoon about 1 tablespoon of filling at the base of the leaf.

Step 10

Fold the edges over the filling, tuck in the sides, and then roll the sheet into a small cylinder, not too tightly, leaving space for the cooked rice. To make the process easier, you can do this on a regular plastic bag.

Step 11

Arrange the dolma neatly in rows in the pot, seam side down. Top with a few slices of lemon.

Step 12

Dissolve 10 grams of tomato paste in 500 ml of water, pour this mixture over the stuffed grape leaves (dolma), and add 15 ml of olive oil. The dolma should be covered with water. Bring to a boil and then simmer gently with the lid on for about 1 hour.

Step 13

Let the dolma rest for a while before serving. Serve with lemon wedges and, if desired, garnish with pine nuts.