Sarma
16 oz. jar prepared grape leaves
4 cups chopped onions
1 cup olive oil
1 cup short grain rice
½ cup fresh dill (or 1tsp. dried dill)
6 tbs. fresh lemon juice
2 tbs. tomato paste
1 tsp. dried mint leaves
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. lemon pepper
Salt to taste
½ tsp. cayenne pepper
1 to 2 cups minced parsley
¾ cup pine nuts
Water
Lemon wedges and slices
(1/4 cup currants optional)
Use torn leaves to cover the bottom of the pan.
A spaghetti pot with a deep basket works very well… put the torn leaves in the bottom of the basket.
Serve cool with lemon wedges.
- Rinse grape leaves in hot water and remove stems
- Sauté onions in olive oil for about 15 minutes
- Stir in rice and cook for 10 more minutes
- Mix together all other ingredients except water, lemon slices and wedges
- Place 1 tsp to 1 ½ tsp on stem end of a grape leaf that had been spread out vain side up about ¾ in. from stem.
- Fold ¾ up over the onion mixture, fold sides in over the mixture and roll up covering the mixture and until you reach the upper end of the leaf.
- Arrange Sarma in circular rows around the bottom of the pan seam side down.
- Place lemon slices between the layers
- Place a heavy plate on top to keep leaves in place
- Pour water over the leaves to almost cover the rolled leaves
- Bring to a boil over high heat and then reduce to low- cook about 30 minutes, add more liquid if needed
- Drain liquid when done but leave the plate in place while cooling to help prevent browning.
