STUFFED GRAPE LEAVES

   Stuffed grape keaves: one of the most important traditional Turkish cuisine. 
   You can find a  great variety of mouth watering dishes in Turkish cuisine which is mostly the heritage of Ottoman cuisine...Yaprak sarma (stuffed grape/vine leaves), dolma (stuffed pepper or onion), Zeytinyağlı taze fasulye (green beans with vegetable oil), lahmacun, karnıyarık ( fried eggplant with meat), Kuru fasulye (beans), kebap, döner, köfte....etc.They are all perfect and delicious.

   Oh and I forgot baklava.Yummy:)If you still haven't tried this perfect thing you have to do it immediately.



INGREDIENTS:

pickled or fresh grape leaves or green sweet pepper
1,5 cups rice (washed under water and drained)
half cup thick bulghur
350 grs minced meat
1 table spoon tomato paste
3 pieces tomatoes
1 big onions or 2 medium onions
3-4 (garlic) cloves
1 cup flat leaf parsley chopped finely
1 pinch dill (chopped finely)
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 table spoon pomegranate molasses
1 tea spoon powdered sumac
1/2 teaspoon  red pepper
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon dried mint flakes

sauce:
1 fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
2 cups water

                                                         

PREPARING :

1- Wash rice and thick bulghur in a large bowl.Pour its starchy water.

2- Dice the onions and (garlic) cloves.

3- In a large bowl mix all.(Rice, bulghur, chopped onions and cloves, minced meat,tomato paste, parsley,dill,olive oil, pomegranatemolasses, sumac, red pepper, black pepper,salt and dried mint flakes)

4- Knead them until they completely mix.(About 1-2 minutes),

5- Bring a big pot of water to a simmer. Blanch the grape leaves in the hot water for 5 minutes until pliable.Drain them trim the stems and any hard veins from the leaves.Pat dry with paper towels.

6-Lay a grape leaf on a surface.Shiny side down.Put 1 tablespoon of the rice-meat filling near the stem end of the leaf.Fold the stem end over the filling then fold both sides toward the middle and roll up into a cigar-it should be snug but not overly tight because the rice will swell once it is fully cooked.Repeat with remaining grape leaves and filling.

7- Place the dolmas in a large dutch oven.

8-In a bowl mix 2 cups water,2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, 1 tablespoon tomato paste and 1 fresh lemon juice.Pour it over the dolmas.This liquid should reach halfway up the dolmas.You may add if necessary.Cover the pan and simmer over low heat for 30-40 minutes until the dolmas are tender when pierced with a fork.
Serve warm...