Dolmas are actually a type of dish found in Mediterranean cuisine. It involves stuffing vegetables and leaves with various ingredients. You can alternate the stuffing all manners of ways and use various vegetables as the container. Some common vegetables to stuff are bell peppers, tomatoes, eggplants, onions, zucchinis, and even garlic. This recipe calls for grape leaves, an ingredient some people may have not considered. I ensure you they are fantastic stuffing agents – mostly because they’re delicious.
Health Benefits
Grape leaves are actually pretty great ingredients to include in your diet if you’re looking to eat healthy. They are low calorie – 5 leaves have only 14 calories, and they have a wealth of nutrients. Grape leaves contain vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin A, vitamin K, and B complex vitamins. They also have niacin, fiber, iron, folate, calcium, magnesium, riboflavin, and manganese. These leaves are a mild anti-inflammatory and can be used to combat certain cancers, heart conditions, and Alzheimer’s disease which are connected to inflammation.
Ingredients
tbsp olive oil: 1
onions – minced: 2
cups white rice – uncooked: 1 1/2
tbsp tomato paste: 2
tbsp dried currants: 2
tbsp pine nuts: 2
tbsp ground cinnamon: 1
tbsp dried mint: 1
tbsp dried dill weed: 1
tsp ground allspice: 1
tsp ground cumin: 1
oz grape leaves – drained and rinsed: 8
How To Make Dolmas (Stuffed Grape Leaves)
- Heat oil in a medium saucepan at a medium temperature.
- Sauté onions until they turn tender.
- Stir in rice and cover with hot water.
- Cover the pan and let simmer until the rice is half cooked.
- Remove from heat.
- Stir in allspice, cinnamon, cumin tomato paste, currants, pine nuts, cinnamon, mint leaves, and dill weed.
- Let mixture cool.
- Prepare a large pot by placing an inverted plate on the bottom.
- Note: This protects the dolmas from direct heat when steaming.
- Rinse grape leaves in warm water.
- Drain and cut off any stems.
- Place 1 tsp of the rice mixture in the center of a leaf.
- Fold in the sides and roll into a cigar shape.
- Place in prepared pot.
- Repeat with remaining ingredients.
- Cover the bottom of the first layer of dolmas with warm water.
- Cover the pot and let simmer over low heat for 30-45 minutes, or until rice is cooked completely.
- Check the water level frequently; add more as necessary.
Trivia
Grape leaf dolmas are aslo referred to as sarma.