Dolma with kefir-based sauce
9 servings
120 minutes
At the market we buy lamb, beef, some salted wild garlic, pepper, garlic and a bunch of fresh cilantro. If the market is right, you can also buy a bottle of good chacha there. And this is just for the flavor, don't think it's .
1
We are making filling for dolma.
2
We take the front lamb leg (I don't know the correct name) and cut the meat off the bone. If there's a bit of internal fat (from the ribs) — that's even good. Everything goes into the meat grinder.
- Leg of lamb: 1.5 kg
- Leg of lamb: 1.5 kg
3
Slightly trim the beef shoulder, cut it into pieces, and put it in the meat grinder.
- Beef shoulder: 0.5 kg
4
Onion, garlic — to the same place.
- Onion: 2 heads
- Garlic: 6 cloves
5
We wash the grape leaves, pour boiling water over them and hold for 3-4 minutes. We drain the boiling water and rinse with cold water. If not rinsed with cold water after boiling, the leaves may rot and start to tear.
- Grape leaves in brine: 250 g
6
We salt, pepper, and put it in the fridge for an hour. This is the most wonderful hour. The family knows you are making dolma and doesn't interfere. You take out the pre-purchased wild garlic, garlic, and pepper, tear off a bit of cilantro, and take the chacha out of the freezer (in the 20 minutes you spent on the filling, it has cooled to the right temperature). Achtung! Feuer!
- Salt: to taste
- Five Peppers Mix: to taste
7
Well, hands are steady, we take the minced meat out of the fridge and roll the dolma.
8
I love to cook dolma in a cast iron pot (also known as a duck pot). It has a thick bottom and a lid. I usually make two pots at once. Carefully place the dolmas in the pot, fairly tightly but not to the edges. You can cover the dolma with leftover leaves on top. Pour water into the pot to cover the top row. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to 'low', and let it simmer for 35-45 minutes. Keep the lid slightly open. Let the broth be stronger and the water evaporate a bit.
9
Now the sauce. We take kefir. I take 2.5% kefir. Pour about 180 grams into a glass, not to the brim. Squeeze in a large clove of garlic, add water to the top of the glass, and mix.
10
Place the dolmas in a bowl. A plate won't work. Along with the dolmas, pour a little broth into the bowl (or place it, it becomes jelly-like in the fridge). Heat in the microwave for 3-4 minutes. It needs to be hot because the yogurt-garlic sauce should be cold. If heated, it will curdle.
11
You can tear cilantro or cut it and sprinkle it on dolma. I love a lot of cilantro.
- Fresh cilantro (coriander): 1 bunch