Recipe byThe ZestyPlate Kitchen
Dolma: vine leaves rolled around a fragrant lamb, rice and herb filling, then simmered gently until tender. Lovely warm or at room temperature.
Dolma are vine leaves wrapped snugly around a filling of spiced lamb and rice, then simmered gently until soft. They take a bit of patience to roll, but that's part of the pleasure, and the reward is a dish loved across the Middle East and the Balkans. Serve them warm or at room temperature.
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Prep 45 min
Cook 90 min
Total 135 min
Medium
Scale:
- 600g Pickled Grape Leaves
- 400g Lamb Mince
- 5 chopped Onion
- 75g Rice
- 1 tsp Pepper
- 1 tsp Paprika
- 1 tsp Vegetable Stock
- 25g Parsley
- 1 tsp Basil
- Splash Olive Oil
- To taste Salt
- 2 Litres Boiling Water
Preparation
- Fry the onions in olive oil in a sauté pan for 5 minutes, until they start to brown.
- Turn off the heat and add the lamb, rice, pepper, paprika, dried vegetable stock, parsley and basil, mixing it all together.
- Carefully unwrap the vine leaves. Lay one leaf on your hand, base towards your palm and point upward, then overlap a second leaf with the point down and base at your fingertips (or work on a flat surface).
- Place a spoonful of filling in the middle, fold the bottom of the leaf over it, fold in both sides, and roll upward into a sealed parcel.
- Line the base of a deep saucepan with a layer of vine leaves, then pack the parcels side by side on top, starting a new layer once the base is covered, until all the filling is used.
- Pour in enough boiling water to just cover the parcels, bring to the boil, then cover and simmer for 1.5 hours, topping up with a little boiling water if it drops below the parcels before the time is up.
- Lift them out and leave to cool for 10 minutes before serving.
Tips from the ZestyPlate Kitchen
- Trim away any tough stems and lay the leaves vein-side up so they're easy to roll neatly.
- Resist overfilling. A small spoonful per leaf gives the rice room to swell without splitting the parcel.
- Line the base of the pot with a few spare leaves so the dolma don't catch and scorch.
- Pack them in snugly to hold their shape, and weigh them down with a plate if they start to float.
Frequently Asked Questions
Roll them firmly, pack them tightly into the pot, and sit a plate on top to keep them submerged and compact.
Yes. Fill them with rice, herbs, onion and pine nuts. Meat-free dolma are just as traditional and especially good cold.
They keep well for a few days and are often served at room temperature, which makes them handy for entertaining.
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