Real dolma: recipe for cooking. Video
For the first time, as historians assure, the dolma recipe was published back in the 100th century, while references to such a dish appeared XNUMX years earlier. Today, many peoples consider dolma 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 dolma recipe may seem complicated only at first glance. Typically, this illusion arises from the abundance of components used.
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 make dolma you need: – grape leaves – 100–150 pcs .; – lamb meat (someone prefers fillet, someone stops on the leg and part of the neck, back and ribs) – 1 kg; – lamb bones for cooking broth – optional; – onions – 4 pcs.; – rice – 3 tablespoons; – vegetable oil for frying – 2 tablespoons; – 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.
For dolma to be authentic and delicious in a special way, it must be served with sauce. For its preparation you will need: – yogurt (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, they need to be soaked a little longer – 15–20 minutes. Remove the stems. Remember that when you roll the dolma, the shiny side of the leaf should be on top.
Prepare broth. Fry the lamb bones until golden brown, while it is advisable not to add oil, so as not to make the broth too greasy. Pour 0,5 liters of water over the bones and cook for 1 hour. The broth should be very rich and beautiful.
Dolma filling is minced meat, and not minced in a meat grinder. This is another secret of making authentic dolma.
Minced meat differs from the one made with a meat grinder in that all meat juices are preserved in it. After all, a meat grinder often crumples the meat during the grinding process, which spoils its taste.
Chop the meat into minced meat, add two finely chopped onions, salt, herbs and spices. To add a special taste, it is recommended to put two more onions, cut into small cubes and fried in oil. Add rice. Mix everything thoroughly.
Rice should be put in dolma whole, not boiled. This is due to the fact that in the process of cooking ready-made dolma, the rice just reaches the desired condition. And if you use pre-cooked, it will crumble
Now you can start rolling the dolma. It is best to do this on a flat surface such as a cutting board. Laying the sheet before twisting it is necessary with embossed veins upward. Put a dessert spoon of minced meat on it. Do not try to use more meat, because in this case it will not be easy to wrap the dolma.
After the minced meat is decomposed, lightly crush it and start wrapping. Gently fold the sides of the sheet so that the envelope is tight enough. The grape leaf itself is quite elastic and adheres well to the minced meat. If you are in doubt about the reliability of the twist, lightly press the envelope with your palm to secure the result. Put the finished dolma in the pan with the seams down.
Pour the broth along the side of the pan, while do not try to fill the whole house entirely, you can stop at half the volume. If you have poured liquids, cover the entire workpiece 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 yogurt or kefir. To make the sauce more tasty and rich, try to make it in advance, about a day in advance.
Features of dolma in different countries
Different countries have their own traditions in the preparation of 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 implies 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. There are two types of Turkish dolma: meat and lean. The first is served hot, the second cold.