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

− +
  • 30 vine leaves (jarred, rinsed)
  • 225 g minced lamb or beef (with some fat)
  • 75 g basmati rice
  • 38 g yellow split peas
  • ¾ onions
  • ¾ bunch mixed herbs (parsley, coriander, dill, leek)
  • ¾ tsp turmeric
  • ¾ tsp cinnamon
  • 1½ tbsp tomato paste
  • 2¼ tbsp lemon juice
  • 1½ tbsp sugar
  • 3 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.