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Stuffed Grape Leaves with Lamb
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Stuffed Grape Leaves

Course Appetizer, Side Dish
Cuisine Palestinian
Prep Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Servings 100 leaves (approx.)

Ingredients

  • 1 jar grape leaves (see notes)
  • 1 medium onion minced
  • 4 tablespoons olive oil divided
  • lbs ground lamb or ground beef
  • 1 cup rice, short or long grain uncooked
  • 3 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
  • ½ teaspoon allspice
  • 2 teaspoons garlic minced
  • 1 tablespoon garlic minced
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • cups water
  • ¼ cup lemon juice
  • 1 4 oz can tomato paste divided
  • 1-2 large onion(s) sliced into rings
  • 2 medium tomatoes sliced thinly

Instructions

  • Drain and rinse grape leaves well, until water runs clear. Remove the stems.
  • Add ½ of the oil to a large pot with a well fitting lid and spread around the bottom.
  • Mix minced onion, remaining oil, meat, rice, molasses, allspice, 2 tsp garlic, salt, black pepper, and half of tomato paste in a large bowl.
  • Mix water, lemon juice, remaining tomato paste, and tablespoon of garlic in separate bowl.
  • Lay one layer of onion rings and tomato slices in pot.
  • Lay one grape leaf vein side up with the top of the leaf pointing away from you, place about 2 tsp of filling at the bottom of the leaf (make it kind of like an oval). Turn the leaf up one turn away from you (rolling the leaf around the filling). Fold the sides in, and roll the leaf up to the top. Place the leaf seam side down in the pot.
  • Continue rolling remaining leaves and packing them tightly in the pot.
  • When you have made one layer, sprinkle the layer with some of the sauce.
  • Add a layer of onion rings and tomato slices on top, followed by another layer of grape leaves and more sauce on the top. Continue until all the leaves have been filled.
  • Make sure you have enough liquid to cover the leaves in the pot (you may need to add more water).
  • Put a heavy heat proof plate on the top of the leaves, cover pot, and bring to simmer for 50-60 minutes.
  • Carefully remove the leaves from the pot, using tongs.
  • Serve warm.

Notes

The original recipe called for a 1000g jar of grape leaves, but I used a 454g (2 lb) jar and had enough leaves to use all of the filling.
From: Genius Kitchen