Waraq Al Dawali Stuffed Grape Leaves Recipes

WARAQ AL DAWALI (STUFFED GRAPE LEAVES)

Steps:

• drain and rinse grape leaves well until water runs clear.
• remove the stems.
• add 1/2 the oil to a large pot with a well fitting lid and spread around the bottom.
• mix minced onion, remaining oil, meat, rice, molasses, allspice, 2 tsp garlic, salt, black pepper, and half of tomato paste in a large bowl.
• Mix water, lemon juice, remaining tomato paste, and tablespoon of garlic in seperate bowl.
• lay one layer of onion rings and tomato slices in pot.
• lay one grape leaf vein side up with the top of the leaf pointing away from you, place about 2 tsp of filling at the bottom of the leaf (make it kind of like an oval). Turn the leaf up one turn away from you (rolling the leaf around the filling). Fold the sides in, and roll the leaf up to the top. Place the leaf seam side down in the pot.
• Continue rolling remainging leaves and packing them tightly in the pot.
• When you have made one layer, sprinkle the layer with some of the sauce.
• Place a layer of onion rings and tomato slices, then another layer of grape leaves, with sauce on the top. Continue until all the leaves have been filled.
• Make sure you have enough liquid to cover the leaves in the pot (you may need to add just a little more water).
• Put a heavy heat proof plate on the top of the leaves, cover pot, and bring to simmer for 50-60 minutes.

STUFFED GRAPE LEAVES / WARAK ENAB (QATAR)

Steps:

• For the filling, mix together a fresh collection of rinsed but raw rice, tomatoes, green onion, mint, parsley, olive oil, salt and pepper.
• Most recipes have you cook the rice ahead of time, but I found some that use raw rice and I love how it eliminates several steps and dirty dishes.
• Now all you need to do is wiggle those stubborn grape leaves out of the jar and begin wrapping them up.
• To do so, place leaf backside up and place a small spoonful of filling by the stem end.
• Begin to roll the leaf from the stem end. After about one roll, fold in the left and right sides.
• Continue rolling. You don't need to make them super tight because the rice needs room to expand as it absorbs the liquid.
• Add potato slices to bottom of pot.
• Add the grape leaves. Stack them tightly together, making one neat layer on top of another.
• Next, top with tomato slices.
• Pour on the olive oil and any juices at the bottom of the bowl that held the rice.
• Cover with a plate to keep the grape leaves from floating and unrolling, then top off with a lid.
• Simmer gently for about one hour.
• This will allow the potatoes at the bottom of the pot to get a nice crust.
• Add the lemon juice and cook an additional hour (or to taste).You are looking for the rice to be tender inside of the grape leaves. Cut one open to check.
• I've seen several recipes that cook them for upwards of three hours, so don't despair if yours needs longer.
• Arrange them on a plate.
• Pile some of the lemony potatoes in the center.
• Garnish with the cooked and sliced tomatoes, as well as a few olives.