Ingredients

  • 1 jar grape leaves
  • 3 onion
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 C rice
  • 1/2 bunch parsley
  • 2 tsp allspice
  • 1 tsp dill
  • 2-3 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 2 tsp black pepper

Instructions

  1. Leaves are bundled in the jar. Boil water, put one bundle in the water and boil for 3-4 minutes. Place in colander to drain. Repeat for all bundles and put aside to drain and cool.

  2. More onion, the better! Three onions, diced into very small pieces, stir fry with olive oil (~tea glass-full) and salt. Add ½ tbsp sugar. Rinse one big glass of rice (+ a little extra) and add to pan, let fry with oil for 1 minute, then add ½ glass of water until it is all absorbed. Turn off heat and add ½ lemon. Add allspice, parsley, dill, “a little bit” tomato paste, red pepper flakes, and black pepper to the mix.

  3. Assemble the dolma.

  4. In the cooking pot, add thinly sliced ½ lemon and ¾ glass of water (water should cover about 3” from bottom of pot). Arrange the dolma tightly over the lemon/water. Once all are placed, cover dolma in the pot with holey leave and weigh down with a heavy plate. Boil the water, then turn down until just above simmer (1 - 1.5 hrs).