Dolma's of bean leaf with minced lamb

A staple in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisine, lamb dolma consists of lamb mince mixed with spices and herbs, wrapped in grape leaves or stuffed into vegetables. It’s a flavorful dish often enjoyed during gatherings or family meals. This recipe uses bean leaves in stead of grape. Which makes it more accessible to people who might not have access to grape leafs.

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Lamb Dolma's

steaming hot, delciously fragrant. Homemade dolma’s always impress your guests!

Serves:

6 people

Time to Prepare:

25 min

Time to cook or cure:

30 min

Serves:

Stuffing and steaming

Serves:

6 people

Time to Prepare:

20 min

Time to cook or cure:

30 min

Skills:

stuffing and steaming

Ingredients

For the filling

½ brown rice, blended
1 onion, grated
2 cloves of garlic, grated
1 carrot, grated
400 g minced lamb meat (beef is also suitable)
1 heaped tsp salt
1 tsp tomato flake spice (alternatively, smoked paprika powder)
½ tsp black pepper
13 grape leaves or borlotti bean leaves for stuffing

For the vegetable bed to steam

1 large white onion, sliced
1 carrot
Green parts of leeks
Vegetable or lamb stock (enough to cover the vegetable bed for steaming the dolmas)
A few ripe tomatoes (parboiled or diced)
1 bay leaf
Olive oil to cover the bottom of the pan

Useful guidelines

you can use both grape leafs or bean leafs for the dolma’s. Choose tender leafs from the plant. Blanch them in salted water and dunk them in cold water after only 30 seconds to 1 minute of boiling.

Directions

Simply follow these steps:

Steps:

Blanch your leaves in boiling water, then immediately plunge into ice-cold water.
Blend the raw rice until it’s cracked (not powdered). In a large mixing bowl, combine rice, onion, garlic, carrot, salt, tomato flake spice, black pepper, and meat. Mix well and add stock.
Lay leaves flat, removing hard stems. Place about a tablespoon of filling at the base of each leaf. Fold the sides over, then roll towards the tip to form a cylinder. Repeat for all dolmas.
In a large saucepan, lay a bed of leeks, onions, and carrots. Place dolmas on top and add enough stock to cover the bottom inch of the pan. Top with dollops of cooked tomato and cover with aluminum
Cook on medium heat for 30 minutes. Allow them to cool slightly before serving. When removing the lid or foil, be cautious of the steam.
Serve hot or cold

Pro Tip

You can experiment with different meats and spice mixes here. Personalize the dolmas to your liking!