This is a family recipe from my Grandpa, or rather his sister-my great aunt Farida. I just love Arabic food, I guess it's in my blood, and this is one of the recipes that we make a few times a year and it makes me think of grandpa. This year we are doing it for Easter along with some other Arabic dishes.
1 jar grape leaves (found by the pickles in some grocery stores. Safeway carries them)
1 1/2 cups ground meat, raw--traditionally lamb but I use beef
1 c rice (uncooked)
3 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp cinnimon
2 tbs butter (use if you are using a lean meat)
Mix the above ingredients together well. This is your filling for the grape leaves.
Remove all the grape leaves from jar carefully, unfold, separate, and rinse leaves. Remove stems, place 1 tsp of filling near base of leaf fold in sides and roll up the leaf like a cigar. Should be very tight or it will come unrolled while cooking. Place in a large sauce pan, add 1 (8oz) can of tomato sauce and water to cover the rolled leaves. Sprinkle with salt and bring to a boil. Cook covered on low for 50 minutes, checking to make sure there is still water and they are not buring on the bottom. Check to make sure the rice is cooked in the leaves. Add a couple tablespoons of lemon juice and heat through. Serve warm or they are good cold too.
1 jar grape leaves (found by the pickles in some grocery stores. Safeway carries them)
1 1/2 cups ground meat, raw--traditionally lamb but I use beef
1 c rice (uncooked)
3 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp cinnimon
2 tbs butter (use if you are using a lean meat)
Mix the above ingredients together well. This is your filling for the grape leaves.
Remove all the grape leaves from jar carefully, unfold, separate, and rinse leaves. Remove stems, place 1 tsp of filling near base of leaf fold in sides and roll up the leaf like a cigar. Should be very tight or it will come unrolled while cooking. Place in a large sauce pan, add 1 (8oz) can of tomato sauce and water to cover the rolled leaves. Sprinkle with salt and bring to a boil. Cook covered on low for 50 minutes, checking to make sure there is still water and they are not buring on the bottom. Check to make sure the rice is cooked in the leaves. Add a couple tablespoons of lemon juice and heat through. Serve warm or they are good cold too.
1 comment:
I made these last night with one pound of beef and an extra 1/3 cup of rice.
I used a small plate on top of the leaves in the pan while they were cooking to keep them in place and wouldn't move around and come unrolled.
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