Stuffed Vine/Grape Leaves and Courgette Dolma’s

FOOD, PLACES TO EAT, RECIPES

 Heavenly food of the week! 

This is a very famous dish in Turkey and Greece. We like to have them with garlic yoghurt.

 A great vegan meal made from tender vine leaves and courgettes stuffed with rice and fresh herbs. 

They are a great option for starters or meze we call them in Turkey.

If you travel to Turkey or Greece, you can taste them in many local restaurants. In Turkey, we use different leaves like cabbage, swiss chard, kale even some regions are using quince leaves.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 jar grape leaves about 60-70 in brine
• 2-3 courgette 
• 500 gr rice
• 3 grated tomatoes
• 1/3 cup of finely chopped dill
• 1/3 cup of finely chopped fresh mint
• 1 teaspoon dried dill
• 1teaspoon dried mint
• 1/2 teaspoon of cumin
• 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup of tablespoon olive oil 
• 1 tablespoon of sugar 
• 2 tablespoon of dried blackcurrant
• 400ml drinking water

INSTRUCTIONS

Remove the grape leaves from the jar, and rinse them. 

Take the inside of the courgettes with a teaspoon to make space for the rice.

Heat the oil in a frying pan and cook the onions until softer. Then add the rice cook for 2 minutes, add the grated tomatoes cook for another 3 minutes on medium heat. First add the dried mint, dried dill, cinnamon and cumin salt and pepper. Now, 400ml of water. Stir well, then cook for another 3 minutes. Turn the heat off add the fresh herbs, mix well and cover with a lid and let the rice to settle.

Fill up the courgettes with rice mixture, make sure not to press the rice too hard.

Spoon a teaspoonful of the mixture on to the stalk end of a leaf, shape them folding the sides, pressing the filling to a sausage shape. Then tuck in the sides of the leaves and roll it up to make a tight, cylindrical parcel.

When everything is ready to cook, add a seasoning of salt and pepper, drizzle rest of the olive oil, pour over 2 cups of 400 ml water, place a plate upside down on top of the grape leaves in the pot. 

You can use the upside-down plate to weigh it down, this method will hold down the grape leaves in the right place, and prevent floating while they are cooking.

Cover with a lid on and simmer very gently for around 30 to 45 minutes until they are cook if you like them softer add more hot water when they are cooking.

Transfer to a dish and enjoy warm or at room temperature.