Azerbaijani Stuffed Grape Leaves Yapaq Dolmasi Recipes

AZERBAIJANI STUFFED GRAPE LEAVES- YAPAQ DOLMASI

Steps:

• Saute onions in butter until soft. If lamb is fatty you can use less butter or if not too fatty you can use more butter. Parboil rice and cool. Mix meat with rice, onion, , salt and pepper, dill, cilantro and parsley. (this is easiest with your hands) Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add grape leaves. Boil the leaves 3 to 5 minutes, don't cook through, this is just to make them more pliable.
• Place a grape leaf on flat surface vein side up. The amount of filling you place on the leaf depends on the size of the leaf and how many you want to end up with. Snip off any remaining stem from the leaf, you can put this inside the meat mixture. Place filling at the stem end of the leaf. Fold in sides and roll up tightly. Place seam side down in a large pot that you have pour a thin layer of olive oil into, put the big ones on the bottom spacing them in an overlapping pattern so the steam can circulate around the dolma. The bigger the dolma the more space between them. Pour water over finished dolma about 1/3 the way up. Bring to boil, reduce to low and cook for 45 minutes to 1 hour.
• Serve with plain yogurt mixed with crushed garlic.

DOLMATHAKIA STUFFED GRAPE LEAVES

Steps:

• the grape leaves have already been blanched, simply rinse and set in a colander to drain. If they are fresh, wash well and soak in hot salted water for 5 minutes, then drain.
• Heat 1/2 cup of olive oil over medium heat, and sauté the onion until soft.
• Add rice, half the lemon juice, herbs, salt, pepper, and 1/2 cup of water, increase heat and bring to a boil. Boil for 2 minutes and turn off heat.
• Allow the filling to sit for 5-10 minutes.
• Place one teaspoon of filling at the stem end of a grape leaf and roll. Continue until filling has been used. (If any of the leaves are very small, use two for each roll.)
• Line the bottom of a pot with unused or broken grape leaves and place the rolls, seam side down, in the pot in layers. Add 1/3 cup of olive oil and the 3-4 cups of water (enough to reach the top of the rolls). Place a plate on top of the rolls to hold them securely while cooking and bring to a full boil. Cook for 20 minutes or until only the sauce remains.

DOLMAS (STUFFED GRAPE LEAVES)

Steps:

• Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Saute onions until tender. Stir in rice and hot water to cover. Cover and simmer until rice is half cooked, about 10 minutes.
• Remove from heat and stir in tomato paste, currants, pine nuts, cinnamon, mint leaves, dill weed, allspice and cumin. Let mixture cool.
• Prepare a large pot by placing an inverted plate on the bottom; this protects the dolmas from direct heat when steaming.
• Rinse grape leaves in warm water; drain and cut off any stems. Place about 1 teaspoon of the cooled rice mixture in the center of a leaf. Fold in the sides and then roll into a cigar shape. Place in prepared pot. Repeat with remaining ingredients.
• Pour in just enough warm water to reach the bottom of the first layer of dolmas. Cover and simmer over low heat for 30 to 45 minutes, or until rice is totally cooked. Check the water level often and add more as necessary.