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Minced meat dolma with mint in grape leaves in matsoni sauce

Ground Meat Dolma with Mint in Grape Leaves with Matsoni Sauce

A Georgian home cook shared this recipe with me. It's very, very good! I want to pass along the recipe and its secrets. Dolma (tolma) is the Eastern cousin of our stuffed cabbage rolls: leaves (most often grape) or vegetables (eggplant, tomatoes, and so on) filled with a savory stuffing. It's usually made with ground meat and rice, though vegetarian versions exist too. Dolma is made everywhere from the Balkans to Iran, and each country has its own way of preparing it. Georgian dolma is aromatic and fairly spicy—it's seasoned with cilantro, parsley, tarragon, celery, garlic, and red pepper. It pairs wonderfully with Georgian red wine.

Natusik

Recipe author

Minced meat dolma with mint in grape leaves in matsoni sauce

Composition / ingredients

Servings:

Ground meat (pork + beef)

Round-grain rice (raw)

200

Onion

Garlic

Mint (fresh or dried)

Cilantro (coriander) (a sprig, to taste)

Salt

Ground hot pepper

Ground red pepper (to taste)

Grape leaves

Matsoni

500

Garlic

Translation table of volumetric measures

Nutrients and energy value of the composition of the recipe

By weight of the composition:

Proteins 23 % 7 g

Fats 45 % 14 g

Carbohydrates 32 % 10 g

197 kcal

GI: 40 / 60 / 0

Cooking method

Step 1:

How do you make classic dolma in grape leaves? If you bought brined leaves, look for ones that are pale and small—large, dark leaves are old and tough. If the leaves are brined, pour boiling water over them, let them sit for about 20 minutes, and drain. Repeat once more, but this time set them on the stove and boil for about 10 minutes (or about 5 minutes for young leaves), then drain and put them in a colander.
Step 2:

In Georgia they use beef and lamb—never mixed together, of course. Sometimes a beef-and-pork blend is used. The filling gets onion and garlic, and if you like heat, add red pepper to taste. RAW round-grain rice goes into the filling! This is very IMPORTANT! About the spices and herbs: mint (pitna) is a must in dolma. Some add regan (purple basil)—fresh mint in summer, dried in winter, and plenty of it. Some also add a little cilantro, just 1–2 sprigs.
Step 3:

Now let's assemble the dolma. Place the filling on the ribbed (underside) of the leaf, with the smooth side facing out. Trim off the stems.
Step 4:

How do you wrap dolma properly? It's easy—fold it up like a little envelope.
Step 5:

Line the bottom of the pot with grape leaves so the dolma doesn't scorch. Then pack the dolma into the pot in a tight circle, seam side down.
Step 6:

Pour boiling water over the dolma so the water sits about 10 cm (4 inches) above it, and set a plate with a weight on top so the rolls don't come undone. If you add too little water, the rice will soak it all up and the dolma will turn out dry—and may even scorch. Simmer over low heat for about 1 hour.
Step 7:

Make the sauce. First prepare the matsoni (a Caucasian cultured-milk yogurt): put it in a linen or cotton bag and hang it for a few hours to let the liquid drain off, then use this thickened matsoni for the dolma.
Step 8:

Then stir crushed garlic and salt into the matsoni to taste. Your tasty dolma sauce is ready.
Step 9:

Now arrange the dolma on a plate and serve with the sauce. Enjoy!

Since everyone's preference for salt, sweetness, bitterness, spice, acidity, and heat is different, always add spices and seasonings to your own taste! If you're using a seasoning for the first time, keep in mind that some are especially easy to overdo (chili pepper, for example).