وَرَق عِنَبٍ
Dolmas // yaprak sarması // stuffed grape leaves
🍇 Can be an appetiser or a main dish 🍇
Ingredients:
⁃ Ground lamb
⁃ Rice
⁃ Olive oil
⁃ Mint
⁃ Dried currants
⁃ Pine nuts
⁃ Kosher salt
⁃ Black pepper
⁃ Cumin
⁃ Cinnamon
⁃ Oregano
⁃ Egg
⁃ Grape leaves
⁃ Lemon juice
⁃ Chicken broth
Directions:
1. In a bowl, add the dry ingredientes, as well as the ground lamb, egg and a 1/4 cup of olive oil. Using a fork, mix until smooth, then cover and refrigerate until ready for use.
2. Clean grape leaves and drain
3. Place smooth side of the leaves facing down, then take a spoonful of the previously-refrigerated lamb rice mixture towards the bottom of the leaf (centred), fold the section below the rice upwards, fold the sides, then roll until a firm cylinder is made (may burst while cooking if rolled too tightly).
4. Use 1 tbsp of olive oil to grease the pot, then add a few layers of grape leaves for the base. Arrange the dolmas to the sides of the pot (not tightly packed, space needed to cook) and towards the centre, repeat another layer if necessary. Pour 2 tsp of olive oil and lemon juice onto the layers.
5. If needed, press down on the dolmas by inverting a plate over them to prevent them from shifting. Pour in hot chicken broth, bring to a simmer - uncovered - over medium-high heat for 2-4 minutes. Once the liquid starts to bubble, reduce heat to low, cover the pot and cook for 35 minutes. Check the dolmas to see if they’re ready afterwards, if puffed up and can be pierced easily with a fork, plate them as desired.
Nutritional facts:
1. With regard to the nutritional value of the vine leaves it is important to report that they are low in calories (93kcal) and that they have a high content on vegetal fibers (11 gr). As a consequence, vine leaves contribute to the good function of the bowel, fight against constipation and are conducive to a dietary program to lose weight since they allow us to feel full over a long period of time and they reduce the absorption of food fat.
2. Rice is at the basis of Mediterranean Diet Pyramid and its frequent weekly consumption is recommended since it contains about 90% of simple and complex carbohydrates which are the main fuel of human body. Rice does not contain sodium, cholesterol, fat and gluten; as a result, it can be consumed by people with gluten intolerance. The nutritional value of rice is enhanced by the big quantities of vitamins B, such as niacin, riboflavin and sulfamin. These vitamins participate in the production of energy in the body. Furthermore, the combination of rice with vine leaves is ideal since the vegetable fibers of the vine leaves facilitate the digestion of carbohydrates contained in rice.
3. It is worth mentioning that the simultaneous present of vitamin K (109mcg/100 gr), calcium (363mg/100 gr) and magnesium (95mg/100 gr) in vine leaves contributes to a better vertebral health and to the avoidance of muscular cramps.