Persian cooking: recipes · Dolmeh & kufteh: stuffed dishes

Dolmeh Barg-e Mo دلمه برگ مو

Stuffed vine leaves with rice, mince and herbs in a sweet-sour sauce.

⏱ 120 min

Ingredients

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  • 190 vine leaves (jarred, rinsed)
  • 1425 g minced lamb or beef (with some fat)
  • 475 g basmati rice
  • 240 g yellow split peas
  • 4¾ onions
  • 4¾ bunch mixed herbs (parsley, coriander, dill, leek)
  • 4¾ tsp turmeric
  • 4¾ tsp cinnamon
  • 9½ tbsp tomato paste
  • 14¼ tbsp lemon juice
  • 9½ tbsp sugar
  • 19 tbsp oil
  • salt (to taste)
  • black pepper (to taste)

Method

  1. Filling: half-cook the rice and split peas. Fry the onion, add the mince and turmeric and fry until crumbly; mix with the rice, peas, finely chopped herbs, cinnamon, salt and pepper.
  2. Put a spoonful of filling on each vine leaf, fold in the sides and roll tightly. Pack closely in a pot.
  3. Sauce: stir 300 ml water with 2 tbsp tomato paste, 3 tbsp lemon juice and 2 tbsp sugar and pour over.
  4. Weigh down with a plate and cook covered over low heat for 1 hour.