Spicy Dolma with Meat
6 servings
60 minutes
The recipe is taken from the book "Samarkand. Recipes and Stories of Central Asia and the Caucasus" by Caroline Eden and Eleanor Ford. "Stuffed grape leaves are popular from Central Asia to Turkey and from the Mediterranean to Eastern Europe. The filling usually consists of meat and rice, and cabbage or simply hollow vegetables can be used instead of grape leaves. In Tashkent, I tried an exquisite dolma with spicy meat, which did not contain rice. At the same time, dolma is more of a part of the snack table than a full-fledged main course.
1
Mix the minced meat with shallots, chili pepper, barberry, spices, and parsley. Add salt and pepper. Set aside some mixture and roll the rest into 12 small sausages.
- Ground beef: 200 g
- Shallots: 1 piece
- Chili pepper: 1 piece
- Barberry: 1 tablespoon
- Ground paprika: 0.5 teaspoon
- Cayenne pepper: 0.3 teaspoon
- Ground cumin (zira): 0.3 teaspoon
- Parsley leaves: 2 tablespoons
- Sea salt: to taste
- Ground black pepper: to taste
2
Place the grape leaves in a colander and rinse with hot water to wash off the brine (or blanch fresh leaves in boiling water for 30 seconds to soften them). Select the 12 largest grape leaves and remove the stems. Lay the leaf with the pointed end facing you on a work surface, place a sausage of filling at the near end, and roll tightly while tucking in the edges of the leaf. Repeat the procedure with the remaining filling and leaves.
- Grape leaves: 16 pieces
3
Choose a heavy cast-iron pot that can tightly fit the dolma in one layer. Heat olive oil in it and add the reserved filling for a rich broth flavor. Sauté over medium heat until golden, then add onions and caramelize. Add carrots and tomatoes, cooking for a minute or two until vegetables start to soften. Season with salt and place the dolma on top with leaf tips downwards. Pour in enough hot water to cover the dolma three-quarters high. Cover with remaining grape leaves—preferably torn ones unsuitable for stuffing—then press down with a small plate as a weight. Bring to a gentle boil and cook for 40 minutes. Let cool in the broth.
- Olive oil: 2 tablespoons
- Ground beef: 200 g
- Onion: 1 head
- Carrot: 1 piece
- Tomatoes: 4 pieces
- Sea salt: to taste
- Grape leaves: 16 pieces
4
Remove the dolma from the broth and serve at room temperature, complemented with yogurt or ayran.
- Natural yoghurt: to taste