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How to cook dolma in a saucepan. How to prepare dolma from grape leaves according to the Armenian recipe? Cooking options

For the first time, as historians say, the recipe for dolma was published back in the 17th century, but mentions of such a dish appeared 100 years earlier. Today, many nationalities consider dolma to be their national dish - from the inhabitants of North Africa to the peoples of Southern and Eastern Europe, as well as the Middle East. The original recipe for dolma may seem complicated only at first glance. As a rule, such an illusion arises due to the abundance of components used.

Real dolma: recipe

Classic dolma recipe

The classic version of dolma, which is also called authentic, involves the use of lamb (and not pork and beef, as modern housewives do). It is lamb that makes the dish quite light, despite the fact that it is meat. The only thing you need to be prepared for is a large number of ingredients from which the dish is prepared.

To prepare dolma you need: - grape leaves – 100–150 pcs.; - lamb meat (some prefer fillet, others prefer the leg and part of the neck, back and ribs) – 1 kg; - lamb bones for cooking broth - optional; - onions – 4 pcs.; - rice – 3 tbsp; - vegetable oil for frying – 2 tbsp; - salt to taste; - ground black pepper – 1 tsp; - coriander and cumin seeds – 1/2 tsp each; - a bunch of cilantro, parsley, mint and half a bunch of tarragon.

To make dolma authentic and especially tasty, it must be served with sauce. To prepare it you will need: - matsoni (can be replaced with regular kefir) - 1 glass; - 4–5 cloves of garlic; - half a bunch of mint; - a little cinnamon; - salt to taste.

First of all, take care of the correct selection and preparation of grape leaves. It is better if these are fresh and young plants with delicate veins. Experts recommend dipping young leaves in boiling water for 2-3 minutes before stuffing to make them even softer. If you use pre-salted leaves, you need to soak them a little longer - 15-20 minutes. Remove the stems. Remember that when you wrap the dolma, the shiny side of the sheet should be on top.

Prepare the broth. Fry the lamb bones until golden brown, but it is advisable not to add oil so as not to make the broth too fatty. Pour 0.5 liters of water over the bones and cook for 1 hour. The broth should turn out very rich and beautiful.

The filling of dolma is minced meat, minced and not ground in a meat grinder. This is another secret of preparing authentic dolma.

Chopped minced meat differs from that made using a meat grinder in that it retains all the meat juices. After all, a meat grinder often crushes the meat during the grinding process, which spoils its taste

Chop the meat into mince, add two finely chopped onions, salt, herbs and spices. To add a special taste, it is recommended to add two more onions, cut into small cubes and fried in oil. Add rice. Mix everything thoroughly.

Rice should be placed in dolma whole, not boiled. This is due to the fact that during the process of cooking the finished dolma, the rice just reaches the desired condition. And if you use a pre-cooked one, it will crumble

Now you can start rolling the dolma. It's best to do this on a flat surface, such as a cutting board. Before twisting, you need to lay the sheet with the raised veins facing up. Place a dessert spoon of minced meat on it. Do not try to use more meat, because in this case it will be difficult to wrap the dolma.

After the minced meat is spread out, lightly press it down and start wrapping it. Carefully bend the sides of the sheet so that the envelope is tight enough. The grape leaf itself is quite elastic and sticks well to the minced meat. If you doubt the reliability of the twist, lightly press the envelope with your palm to secure the result. Place the finished dolma in the pan with the seams down.

Pour the broth along the side of the pan, but do not try to fill the whole house, you can stop at half the volume. If you overfilled the liquid, cover the entire preparation with the remaining grape leaves or a plate so that the dolma does not float. You need to cook over low heat for about an hour. And to make the dish especially tender, this process can be extended to 1.5 hours.

Prepare the sauce. All solid ingredients for it need to be ground in a mortar and then diluted with matsoni or kefir. To make the sauce more tasty and rich, try to make it about a day in advance.

Features of dolma in different countries

Different countries have their own traditions for preparing this dish. For example, Georgian dolma is considered more spicy, because red pepper is also added to it. In Armenia, on the contrary, they try not to overdo it with spices. Azerbaijani dolma involves the use of not only meat, but also minced fish. In Greece, lemon juice and olive oil are added to the filling, and the dish itself is served cold. Turkish dolma comes in two types: meat and lean. The first is served hot, the second – cold.

The peoples of Asia Minor have long been famous for the diversity of their cuisine. One of the most striking dishes is dolma, which in classical technology is grape leaves stuffed with rice and minced meat.

In our understanding, these are cabbage rolls, in which grape leaves are used instead of cabbage. The dish is extremely tasty and, rest assured, is worth the effort spent on preparing it.

History of the dish

Dolma is extremely common in the cuisines of the peoples of Transcaucasia, Central and Western Asia, the Balkan Peninsula and even North Africa. All national cuisines have their own special technology for preparing dishes and each of them is special in its own way.

The dish belongs to Armenian cuisine, which has long been famous for its best recipes.

The Armenian people claim that they were the discoverers of dolma, and only later, the dish became popular in other national cuisines.

According to the Armenians, this food was extremely common in the court cuisine of the Ottoman Empire; this is not strange, because the recipe is distinguished by its taste and originality.

The benefits and harms of dolma

Grape leaves are widely used in medicine; they are rich in a huge amount of vitamins, microelements, and nutrients, so their benefits are undeniable. With regular consumption of dishes based on grape leaves, you can get rid of many ailments, such as migraines, varicose veins.

They are also useful for diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and genitourinary system. Grape leaves strengthen the immune system and are a natural elixir of youth.

However, people who are overweight, have ulcers, or diabetics are not recommended to consume dishes made from grape leaves. Because, in this case, dolma will harm the body. In any case, you should consult your doctor.

Difficulty and cooking time

Dolma is a rather complex dish, because it involves 4 stages of preparation: preparing the leaves, preparing the filling, wrapping the filling in the leaves and directly stewing.

Taking this into account, we can say that it takes at least two hours to prepare dolma. But the housewife can be sure that the time and labor spent is worth it. The taste of the dish is spicy and refined at the same time.

Food preparation

The most important step in preparing food is finding the right grape leaves. It is best to buy them salted, but since the leaves are folded, the housewife cannot be sure of their integrity. Before use, such envelopes need to be doused with boiling water to soften the leaves a little.

If fresh leaves are purchased, they must be soaked in salt water for at least 20 minutes and be sure to cut the cuttings from each leaf so that they curl more easily.

How to cook dolma

A classic and simple recipe for cabbage rolls in grape leaves.

Ingredients:

grape leaves - approximately 100 pcs;
pork – 1 kg;
optional bones for broth;
round rice - ½ cup;
onion – 4 heads;
Sunflower oil – 50 g;
a pinch of salt;
ground black pepper – 1 tsp;
coriander – ½ teaspoon;
cilantro - a bunch;
parsley - a bunch;
tarragon - smaller than a bunch.

This quantity of products is designed for approximately 20 servings.

Preparation:

The bones need to be fried until an appetizing golden brown crust appears. Fill with water and cook the aromatic broth for about 1 hour.

Meanwhile, prepare the filling. In classical technology, pork should be minced. Cut two onions into large cubes and fry in sunflower oil. Mix with meat, add rice, chopped herbs, seasonings and mix thoroughly.

The most aesthetically important part of preparing a dish is wrapping the envelopes. The filling should be applied to the dull part of the grape leaves. Then, we fold the leaves on the sides and roll them into a tube.

Now you need to fold the dolma into the pan with the seams down. Pour broth around the edge of the pan and simmer for about an hour.

Approximately, one serving of dolma - 150 grams, contains 60 kcal, which is calculated as 55% fat, 30% protein and 15% carbohydrates. However, the dish is healthy and incredibly tasty.

Cooking options

Since several nations are fighting for the right to be called the discoverers of this dish, there are also several options for preparing the dish: Armenian, Azerbaijani and Moldavian technology.

Dolma can also be prepared from pickled grape leaves in a slow cooker. Each of the recipes is unique and has its own unique taste.

Dolma in pickled grape leaves

Ingredients:

50 pickled grape leaves;
5 kg minced lamb;
5 liters of meat broth;
6 tablespoons of coarse grain rice;
5 onions;
50 grams of butter;
50 ml vegetable oil;
aromatic herbs: dill, parsley, cumin;
spices: salt, ground pepper.

Preparation:

If the meat is on the bones, then you need to separate the pulp from the bones, cook the broth on them, and grind the meat using a meat grinder or blender. Otherwise, you can use any meat broth.

Pour boiling water over the rice and cover with a lid to steam a little. After 10-15 minutes, strain and add to the meat.

Peel the onion, wash it to remove any remaining dirt and cut it into cubes. Heat a frying pan over medium heat and fry the onion in a mixture of oils until golden brown. Add to the filling.

Fresh greens must be washed under running water and finely chopped. Pour into the filling along with the spices and mix thoroughly.

Place the grape leaves on the work surface so that the smooth side is down. Place the filling in the center of the sheet and wrap it in an envelope.

Place the dolma in a thick-bottomed pan, seam side down, add broth, cover with a lid and simmer for about an hour. Then the filling will be tender, and the taste of the dish will amaze your guests.

Delicious Armenian dolma with beef

Ingredients:

1 kg beef;
½ cup rice;
tomato;
bell pepper;
50 grape leaves;
2 onions;
a bunch of parsley;
spices: basil, ground pepper, paprika, salt.

Preparation:

Scald the grape leaves with boiling water, wash them, cut off the veins. Wash the rice thoroughly too.

We wash the vegetables and parsley, remove the skin from the tomato. We chop the parsley, and pass all the vegetables, rice and meat through a meat grinder, add spices and mix.

Place the filling on the leaves, wrap the envelopes and simmer over low heat for at least 50 minutes.

Dolma with vegetables and seasonings will surprise you with its taste.

Azerbaijani dolma with lamb

Ingredients:

lamb – 0.5 kg;
grape leaves – 20-30 pcs;
round rice – 5 tbsp. spoon;
eggs – 2 pcs;
onion – 2 pcs;
greens: cilantro, mint;
spices: salt, ground pepper.

Preparation:

We clean the meat from the veins and grind it. Chop the greens and onions, add to the meat, beat the eggs, add pre-washed rice and spices, mix.

We wrap the filling in leaves, forming envelopes, put the dolma in a pan and simmer for at least an hour.

This technology for preparing dolma is that the filling using an egg is more tender and does not crumble. The dish will certainly surprise the hostess's relatives.

Moldavian dolma

Ingredients:

30 grape leaves;
½ kg of meat (lamb, pork, beef);
3 onions;
50 ml sunflower oil;
1/3 cup rice;
2 tablespoons of tomato paste;
1 carrot root;
salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

Grind the meat, cut the onions and carrots into cubes and simmer it all in sunflower oil until golden brown.

Wash the rice, add it to the meat and simmer for another 10 minutes in tomato paste. When the filling has cooled, add chopped herbs, spices and mix.

Place the leaves with their smooth surface down, add the aromatic filling, wrap them in envelopes and simmer for about 40 minutes. Incredible Moldavian dolma will surprise you with its spicy taste.

Recipe in a slow cooker

Ingredients:

5 kg minced meat;
20 grape leaves;
1 onion;
4 tbsp. spoons of rice;
50 g butter;
50 grams of sunflower oil;
1 bunch of greens;
salt and spices to taste.

Preparation:

We wash the rice. Turn on the multicooker, pour in vegetable oil and, using the “frying” mode, fry the chopped onion until golden brown.

In a small bowl, mix minced meat, fried onions, rice, spices, chopped herbs and butter.

Place the filling on pre-prepared leaves, form envelopes and carefully place them in the slow cooker, seam side down. Fill with hot water to cover the envelopes and turn on the “quenching” mode for 1 hour.

Cooking dolma in a slow cooker is easy and simple, and most importantly, delicious.

Video recipe

There are several main secrets:

To prevent the dish from burning, place grape leaves on the bottom of the pan or multicooker.
We fold the envelopes with the seams down so that they do not unfold during the stewing process.
When all the envelopes are placed in the pan, it is best to secure them by pressing them with a plate. In this case, during the boiling process the filling will not come out of the envelopes.

Dolma is considered one of the simplest and most delicious recipes in the world; only young leaves are suitable for the dish. Then the dolma turns out tender and melts in your mouth. This dish is suitable for every day and for the holiday table.

Oriental cuisine rich in spices will not leave any gourmet indifferent. It has long received international recognition and is successfully used by chefs all over the world. In any large city there is at least one reputable establishment that offers its guests to taste exclusively oriental dishes. And, undoubtedly, such a dish as dolma will always be popular among its visitors. However, you don’t have to go to a restaurant to enjoy dolma. It can be prepared at home. And we will tell you how to do this below.

Dolma - general principles and methods of preparation

In essence, dolma is the same stuffed cabbage rolls, with only one difference: the “dressing” for the exotic dish is not the usual cabbage, but grape, quince or fig leaves, and less often whole vegetables. It is impossible to say which country is the birthplace of the popular dolma. It is prepared in Azerbaijan, Armenia, Egypt, Turkey, Libya, Palestine, as well as in many other countries. That is why there are so many variations in the preparation of dolma, and different nations call it differently.

The traditional filling for dolma is finely chopped meat (note, chopped, not twisted in a meat grinder), which is often combined with cereals, mainly rice, herbs and oriental “spark” - spices. There are many recipes for the so-called vegetarian dolma, where instead of meat they use minced vegetables sautéed in fat. And dishes that are familiar to us like stuffed zucchini or tomatoes are varieties of dolma in the east.

In some countries, dolma is prepared from minced fish, supplemented with rice, chopped nuts, plenty of herbs, lemon juice, mint - as a rule, a whole bouquet of herbs and spices is used. It sounds a little scary, but local chefs are not at all afraid, because they are real professionals and can easily prepare “candy” for the holiday table. If you don’t like such a generous abundance of spices in a dish, adjust the amount according to your personal preferences.

Dolma - food preparation

Grape leaves for dolma can be purchased at any vegetable market (they must be whole, smooth and neat). Cuttings are cut from them, otherwise packing the filling will turn into a very problematic task, and they are soaked in salted water for half an hour. Grape leaves are also sold in salted form. Such “envelopes” are also suitable, but they must be soaked in fresh water or doused with strong boiling water.

In the east, the filling for dolma is made from lamb - this is the most popular option. But this does not mean at all that the dish cannot be prepared, for example, from pork or chicken. Can! And you even need to experiment. Classic dolma recipes include minced meat (fillet) in their composition. This matter is so troublesome that it will require a lot of time. If it is sorely lacking, it’s okay! Use a meat grinder or blender.

Dolma - the best recipes

Recipe 1: Classic Dolma

An excellent appetizer will decorate any table and surprise guests with a pleasant, unforgettable taste. It is equally tasty both hot and cold. If you want to cook dolma, start with this simple recipe.

Ingredients:

- one kilogram of lamb (fillet)
- half a cup of round rice
- four onions
- one teaspoon of coriander
- one teaspoon dried basil
- one teaspoon dried oregano
- two tables. lie tomato paste
- glass of water
— 500 gr. grape leaves
- black pepper and salt to taste

Cooking method:

1. First, let's prepare the minced meat. To do this, chop the meat finely with a knife, grind the peeled onions in a blender, mix the minced meat with onions, dried herbs, ground into powder, pepper and salt. We also add rice to it. Mix.

2. Wash the leaves, soak them if necessary, remove the cuttings and place each one on a work surface. Next, grab the minced meat with a teaspoon and place it at the base of the sheet. Wrap it carefully like a small package. We do the same with the remaining leaves.

3. Find a wide pan. We spread the dolma in dense layers along the bottom of the container. Then fill the products with water so that the liquid covers them by only a few centimeters. Cover with a wide flat plate to fix the dolma (it should remain stationary during the cooking process). Cover the pan with a lid and simmer the dish over low heat until cooked (within an hour).

Finished products should be served with sour cream, garlic sauce or matsoni.

Recipe 2: Vegetable dolma

In this recipe - a real Azerbaijani one - vegetables will become the “house” for our dolma: eggplants, tomatoes and peppers (Bulgarian). We use minced lamb tenderloin as a filling. In addition, we will need a fat tail. For those who do not know: the fat tail is the fat fold around the tail of fat-tailed sheep.

Ingredients:

- two large onions
- 100 gr. fat tail
— 500 gr. lamb tenderloin
- two eggplants
- three large tomatoes
- one hot pepper
- two bell peppers
— 150 gr. melted plum oils
- two tsp. salt
- a pinch of ground pepper

Cooking method:

1. Pass the meat, fat tail and onion through a meat grinder. Mix. Place the finished minced meat in a frying pan. No need to add oil. Simmer the minced meat over low heat, stirring occasionally and breaking up any lumps that form.

2. At the end, add a teaspoon of salt, pepper and 70 g to the minced meat. ghee. Mix. Turn off the stove.

3. Let's do the vegetables. Remove the stem and cap from the peppers. We take out the seeds and entrails from the “cups”. We also cut off the cap of the tomatoes and clean out the insides with a spoon. We should get tomato “pots”. Cut the eggplants lengthwise, clean out the insides so that you get 4 boats. Soak them for 20 minutes in salt water to remove the bitterness.

4. Fry eggplants (boats) and peppers (cups) in a frying pan with the addition of melted butter. Let cool. Next, using a spoon, stuff the vegetables with minced meat and glue the eggplant boats together. Cover the stuffed tomatoes and peppers with “lids”.

5. Place the remaining grated tomato in a deep frying pan. Place the stuffed vegetables in a circle in the sauce, close the container with a lid and simmer the dish for about an hour over very low heat. When serving, sprinkle the vegetables with herbs and pour over the sauce.

Recipe 3: Vegetarian dolma

If for some reason you don’t eat meat, this recipe is just for you. Tasty, satisfying, healthy. There is not a drop of meat in the dish, but at the same time it is boldly called traditional oriental dolma.

Ingredients:

- a jar of grape leaves in a saline solution
- two eggs
- a glass of round rice
- half a bunch of green onions
- four onions
- a bunch of sorrel (or spinach + lemon juice)
- a handful of dill
- spoon of chopped mint
- a spoonful of chopped cilantro
- half a glass of ghee
- half a glass of kefir
- a couple of cloves of garlic
- cinnamon, salt and pepper to taste

Cooking method:

1. Wash all the greens, including sorrel, and finely chop them in a food processor. Grate the hard-boiled eggs and combine with herbs. Mix. Salt, pepper, add mint, ghee, cinnamon and boiled crumbly rice. Mix everything.

2. Wash the grape leaves, scald with boiling water and place on a cutting board. Place a teaspoon of “vegetarian platter” on each and carefully roll it up.

3. Place the formed dolmas on the bottom of the container, pour in water (or better yet, vegetable broth), add some salt, press with a flat plate, close with a lid and place on the stove. Simmer the products for about 20 minutes over low heat.

4. Fry the onion in a frying pan, decorate the finished products with it, and pour thick kefir mixed with chopped garlic on top. Serve to the table. Bon Appetit everyone!

Dolma - useful tips from experienced chefs

— For dolma, it is best to select small-sized grape leaves (about the size of a palm). They are soft, juicy and less stringy, thanks to which the finished dish has the best and brightest taste;

— If the minced meat for dolma is prepared from lean meats, then add fat tail fat to it, chopping it finely with a knife, or melted butter;

— To prevent dolma from burning during cooking and from sticking to the bottom, cover the bottom of the container with a dense layer of grape leaves, and only then (on top of the leaves) lay out the products.

Dolma is a dish of Transcaucasian and Middle Eastern cuisine, similar in type to cabbage rolls. It is prepared from minced meat - a mixture of meat and rice, wrapped in leaves, usually grape leaves. Often the leaves for dolma are salted, pickled or frozen for the winter. Today we will prepare dolma from purchased pickled grape leaves. The dish turns out very tasty, with a slight sourness.

To prepare dolma from pickled grape leaves, take the products according to the list. My minced meat is made from beef neck; it was prepared in front of me at the butcher shop.

I have pickled leaves - with a lot of acid, they need to be taken out of the jar, divided, put in a deep bowl and filled with water. After 30 minutes, change the water so that the acid goes away a little.

At this time, rinse the rice, add a little water and boil it until half cooked. Chop a large onion and fry in vegetable oil. Cool the onion and rice.

In a convenient deep bowl, mix ground beef, onion, rice and chopped herbs. Season with salt and pepper, add cumin, mix the minced meat well until smooth.

Place the pickled grape leaves in a colander to drain excess water. Place the sheet on a convenient surface, glossy side down. Place some minced meat on the sheet.

First, the upper edges of the grape leaf are folded.

Then we wrap the minced meat with the side edges of the sheet.

Do the same with the remaining grape leaves and minced meat. Line the bottom of a pan or cauldron with several rejected grape leaves and place dolma on them.

From this amount of products I got 25 medium pieces.

Cover the dolma with a saucer, add water (or broth previously cooked on beef ribs) so that it covers the dolma well. Cook over low heat for 45-50 minutes. During cooking, try the water in which the dolma is cooked - you may need to add salt to taste. Remove the finished dolma from the heat and let it sit for 10 minutes. During this time, half of the broth will be absorbed into the dolma, it will become even tastier.

Prepare dolma sauce from sour cream or natural yogurt with the addition of garlic, salt, pepper, plenty of herbs and serve.

Dolma from pickled grape leaves is ready. Have a nice one.

Dolma - general principles and methods of preparation

Dolma - food preparation

Dolma - the best recipes

Recipe 1: Classic Dolma

Ingredients:

Cooking method:

Finished products should be served with sour cream, garlic sauce or matsoni.

Recipe 2: Vegetable dolma

In this recipe – a real Azerbaijani one – vegetables will become the “house” for our dolma: eggplants, tomatoes and bell peppers. We use minced lamb tenderloin as a filling. In addition, we will need a fat tail. For those who don’t know: the fat tail is the fat fold around the tail of fat-tailed sheep.

Ingredients:

Cooking method:

2. At the end, add a teaspoon of salt, pepper and 70 g to the minced meat. ghee. Mix. Turn off the stove.

Recipe 3: Vegetarian dolma

Ingredients:

Cooking method:

2. Wash the grape leaves, scald with boiling water and place on a cutting board. Place a teaspoon of “vegetarian platter” on each and carefully roll it up.

4. Fry the onion in a frying pan, decorate the finished products with it, and pour thick kefir mixed with chopped garlic on top. Serve to the table. Bon Appetit everyone!

— For dolma, it is best to select small-sized grape leaves (about the size of a palm). They are soft, juicy and less stringy, thanks to which the finished dish has the best and brightest taste;

— If the minced meat for dolma is prepared from lean meats, then add fat tail fat to it, chopping it finely with a knife, or melted butter;