Dolma

According to the owner of the local Turkish deli, this is how his wife makes her dolmas. I know that when I made them, I got a ton of complements.\

Ingredients

1 (16 ounce) jar   grape leaves (or other vine leaves)
1 1/2 cups rice
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 onions, finely minced
2 tablespoons dried currants
2 tablespoons pine nuts
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon mint
1 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon olive oil
lemon wedges

Method

  1. Sautee onions in olive oil in pan, add rice and add hot water to cover.
   2. Cover and simmer until rice is half cooked, about 10 minutes.
   3. Turn off heat, add tomato paste, currants, nuts, and spices. Let mixture cool.
   4. To prep the grape leaves, rinse in warm water and remove the stems.
   5. When rice mixture is cool, place 1 teaspoon or less in center of leaf, fold in right and left sides, then roll the leaf until you have a tiny 'cigar'.
   6. Place the dolma in a steamer pot.
   7. Repeat until all grape leaves and/or stuffing is finished.
   8. Add water to steamer cover and simmer for 30-45 minutes or until the rice inside the dolma is totally cooked.
   9. Traditionally this is served cold.
  10. Squeeze lemon over the dolma immediately before serving.

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