This recipe specifically is a vegetarian twist on stuffed grape leaves it comes from Iraq. It is very similar to what many people call "dolma". As this specific recipe comes from the ethnicity of Chaldeans, the differences are using potatoes, peas, carrots, the spices, tomato paste, tomato, and eating it hot rather than when it is usually eaten cold. Many countries have different ways of eating the dish, it originates from Turkey and is eaten differently within many different middle eastern countries. This dish does take some effort but is worth it at the end!
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup of peas (can be frozen)
- 8 cloves of garlic, chopped
- 5 small onions, 1/2 chopped, 1/2 peeled
- 2 potatoes, chopped
- 5 mushrooms, chopped
- 1 cup carrots, 1/2 chopped (can be frozen), 1/2 whole
- 1 can fava beans
- 1/4 cup parsley, chopped
- 1 1/2 cup brown rice
- 2 tomatoes, chopped
- 2 lemons squeezed lemon juice
- 1 large pita bread
- 1 small can of tomato paste
- Prepared brined grape leaves (can be bought at any Arabic market in jars - basically pickled grape leaves)
- Salt and pepper
- Allspice
- 7 spices of your choice
- 2/3 cup of canola oil
Steps
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Wash and prepare all the vegetables. Start by measuring and counting the correct amounts needed and make sure all the ingredients are prepared.
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Use the peeler to peel the potatoes. Peeling is very important because leaving the skin on the potatoes can change the taste.Advertisement
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Use the paring knife to chop all the vegetables. Take 2 of the onions, 2 potatoes, 8 mushrooms, 8 cloves of garlic, a tomato, carrots, and peas. Chop until they are nicely diced. They should all be similar in size. Separate each chopped veggie.
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Take the rest of the onions and delayer them. Each layer should make a hollow sphere shape when taken apart. Keep delayering them until there are no more sphere shapes to be able to be filled with rice.
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Wash the brown rice. After washing the rice, let it sit in water for about 1-2 minutes. This will help with cleaning the rice and help the rice soak up some water so it gets rid of some starch.
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Grab all of the diced vegetables and add them to a pan. As the rice soaks in the water for a little, turn the stovetop on medium heat and sauté the vegetables with oil, spices, tomato paste, parsley, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Stir the vegetables until they sauté.
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Add the sautéd vegetables, rice, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, and 1 tablespoon of canola oil to a mixing bowl. Use a mixing bowl and mix all the ingredients together until they look fully incorporated.
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Keep the combined mixture close and take out the grape leaves. Make sure the grape leaves are soaked (since they’re pickled). Lay the grape leaves down and using a spoon, fill a quarter of each grape leaf with the rice mixture.
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Fold the leaves. To fold them, take the right and left sides of the leave and fold them towards the middle. Grab the bottom of the grape leaf and roll it up continuously until the leaf has a cylinder-shaped figure around the rice. If needed, tuck in any extra pieces of the lead that are sticking out. Make sure it is tightly rolled so that it will not unroll!
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Take the delayered onions and lay them out. Use the rice mixture and fill the insides of the onions up until the onion sphere is shaped.
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Add to the cooking pot. Add as many carrots and fava beans to the bottom of the cooking pot as you like.
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Fill the pot up with the stuffed grape leaves and stuffed onions.
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13Add liquids to the pot. Add a cup of water, the rest of the lemon, and a pinch of salt to the pot.
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Heat up the pot. Put the cooking pot on high on the stove until the liquids start to boil. When the liquid in the pot starts to boil, turn the stove on medium-high for an hour.
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Flip and serve. Use pita bread to put on a big serving plate. Flip the pot on the serving plate with the bread on it and take the pot off, letting the grape leaves and onions sit on the bread. Serve and enjoy!Advertisement
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Things You'll Need
- Large pot
- Cooking pot
- Mixing spoon
- Serving plate
- Paring knife
- Peeler
- Pan
Tips
- Make sure you are careful not to peel towards your body for safety when peeling veggies.Thanks
- While cutting vegetables make sure your fingers are safe by facing the tip of your fingers away from the vegetables.Thanks
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