Armenian Dolmas

Instructions

The dolmas

1. Leave the pickled grape leaves in a container of cold water for about 20 minutes.
2. In the meantime, wash the rice and then mix well with the minced meat.
3. Chop the onion, parsley and dill into very small pieces and add to the rice and mince mixture, mix well.
4. Season with salt, pepper and paprika and mix well again. Note: add little salt, as the pickled grape leaves are already salty.
5. Add a little lukewarm water to the mixture and mix until you have a loose mixture.
6. Put a heaped teaspoon of the minced rice mixture on the outside of each grape leaf (take 2 if the grape leaves are very small or cracked) and roll the whole thing up from the stem to the end of the leaf.
7. Line a large pot with some grape leaves to prevent the dolmas from burning, and now place the dolmas one by one in the pot and stack them. Finally, add the two bay leaves.
8. Fill the pot with cold water so that the dolmas are just covered.
9. Place a plate on top of the dolmas, bottom side up (this prevents the dolmas from curling up).
10. Cook on medium heat with the lid closed for 40 – 50 minutes.
11. Now remove the lid, put the butter on the dolmas, close the lid again and simmer for another 20 minutes.

The dip

1. Put the natural yoghurt in a bowl.
2. Finely chop the garlic and dill and add.
3. Add the oil and season with salt and pepper.  Mix well.
4. Garnish with a few pomegranate seeds. Serve the dolmas hot, adding the dip in a small bowl.

Recipe: Lena Harutunian