Name: Dolmeh Barg-e Mo (Persian Stuffed Grape Leaves)
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 80 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Persian
Ingredients: 20 Grape Leaves, rinsed and softened if brined; ½ cup Basmati Rice, rinsed and parboiled; ¼ cup Whole Brown Lentils, cooked until just tender; ¼ cup Parsley, finely chopped; ¼ cup Coriander Leaves, finely chopped; 2 tbsp Mint Leaves, finely chopped; 2 tbsp Raisins, rinsed and drained; 1 Brown Onion, finely chopped; 3 tbsp Olive Oil, divided for filling and steaming; 2 tbsp Lemon Juice, for sweet-sour finish; 1 tsp Sugar, to balance the lemon; ¾ tsp Salt, adjust to taste; ¼ tsp Black Peppercorns, freshly ground; ¾ cup Water, for steaming

Dolmeh Barg-e Mo (Persian Stuffed Grape Leaves)

1 hr 20 mintotal

Prep 35 min · Cook 45 min

Serves: 2
Difficulty: Hard
Spice: Mild

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Method

Heat part of the olive oil in a pan. Cook onion until soft and lightly golden.
Mix onion with parboiled rice, cooked lentils, parsley, coriander, mint, raisins, salt, and black pepper.
Place each grape leaf shiny side down. Add a small spoon of filling near the base.
Fold the sides inward and roll tightly but not too tight, leaving room for the rice to expand.
Arrange the rolls seam-side down in a pot. Mix water, lemon juice, sugar, and remaining olive oil, then pour over the rolls.
Cover with a small plate to keep them in place, then cover the pot and simmer gently until the leaves are tender and the filling is cooked.
Rest for 10 minutes before serving so the rolls firm up.
10 min

How to tell it's done

The grape leaves should be tender and the filling moist, with each roll holding its shape.

Getting it right

Tip

Roll the dolmeh snugly but not tightly; tight rolls can split as the rice cooks.

What to serve it with

Serve warm or at room temperature with yogurt, herbs, and lemon wedges.

Common mistakes

The rolls burst open in the pot.: Roll them snug but not tight, and only parboil the rice. The filling swells as it finishes cooking, and a roll packed full with no give will split every time.
They unravel and float about.: Pack them seam-side down in a close layer and weight them with a small plate, as the recipe says. Left loose, they knock about in the simmering liquid and come undone.

Substitutions

If Grape Leaves are very salty from brine, soak and rinse them before using.
Dried Barberries can replace raisins for a more tart Persian-style filling.
Do not overfill the leaves because rice expands during cooking.

Storing and reheating

Keeps five days in the fridge and is traditionally eaten cold or at room temperature, when the flavours have settled. They freeze cooked for two months. Do not reheat hard — the leaves go slimy.

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Ingredients