About this Dish
Iraqi stuffed vegetables — grape leaves, onions, tomatoes, courgettes and peppers filled with a mixture of rice, minced meat, herbs and tamarind, slow-cooked until tender. The Iraqi version uses tamarind for sourness rather than lemon — a distinctly Mesopotamian flavour that distinguishes it from Turkish and Greek dolma. A dish of extraordinary patience and skill to prepare.
IngredientsServes 6
🍇Grape leaves (fresh or jarred), 40-50 leaves
🥩Lamb or beef mince, 400g
🍚Short-grain white rice, 200g, washed and soaked 30 minutes
🌿Fresh parsley and dill, large handful each, finely chopped
🍅Ripe tomatoes, 4 large
🫑Mixed peppers and courgettes, 2 of each
🟤Tamarind paste, 3 tablespoons dissolved in 300ml warm water
🧅Medium onions, 4 (2 for stuffing, 2 for lining the pot)
🧄Garlic cloves, 4, minced
🫒Olive oil, 4 tablespoons, plus extra for drizzling
Method
1
Drain the soaked rice and mix it thoroughly with the mince, parsley, dill, minced garlic, 1 teaspoon each of ground allspice and cinnamon, a generous pinch of salt and pepper, and 2 tablespoons of olive oil — this is your filling.2
Prepare your vegetables: slice the tops off tomatoes, peppers and courgettes, scoop out the insides carefully with a small spoon leaving a shell about 1cm thick, and peel the onions then microwave them for 3 minutes to soften before separating into individual layers to roll.3
Blanch grape leaves in boiling water for 2 minutes if fresh, or rinse jarred leaves well. Lay a leaf smooth-side down, place a heaped teaspoon of filling near the stem end, fold the sides in and roll firmly into a small cylinder — do not pack too tightly as the rice will expand.4
Line the bottom of a heavy pot with thick onion slices and any torn or leftover grape leaves — this prevents sticking and burning. Arrange the stuffed vegetables snugly standing upright, then nestle the grape leaf rolls tightly around and between them in layers.5
Pour the dissolved tamarind water over everything, then top up with just enough boiling water to nearly cover the dolma. Drizzle with the remaining olive oil, place a heavy plate directly on top to keep everything in place, and cover with the lid.6
Bring to a gentle boil then reduce to the lowest possible heat and cook for 1 hour 15 minutes without lifting the lid — patience is essential here as the slow steam is what makes them tender and allows the flavours to meld beautifully.7
Let the pot rest off the heat for 15 minutes before carefully inverting onto a large platter if you wish, or serving directly from the pot. Serve with plain yoghurt and flatbread to catch the fragrant tamarind juices.User Reviews
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