Bedouin Stuffed Grape leaves
Ingredients
Meat filling:
- 1 pound ground camel lamb, or beef
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon grated ginger
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
- pinch cloves
- pinch sugar
Grape leaves:
- 16 ounce jar grape leaves
- 1 cup uncooked basmati rice
- 1/2 cup dried pitted Medjool dates chopped (5-6)
- lemon slices for serving
- extra virgin olive oil for serving
Instructions
- Brown the camel or other meat in oil with the garlic.
- Stir in the aromatic spices.
- Allow meat to cool and mix with the rice and dates.
- Drain the grape leaves and rinse in hot water.
- Layer the bottom of a large Dutch oven or roasting pan with some grape leaves.
- Place one teaspoon filling on each leaf and roll up like a burrito, firm but not tightly or loose.
- Place stuffed leaves seam side down in the pan without excess space.
- If needed for another layer, place some more grape leaves between the layers.
- Cover the grape leaves with water by an inch and place a plate or other weighted object on the leaves so they do not float and unroll. Make sure your plate is okay to heat, such as stoneware.
- Bring pot to a boil, then lower heat cover and simmer for one hour or until grape leaves are tender and rice is cooked.
- Drain off a bit of water then press down on the plate and drain further, using the plate to hold the grape leaves down.
- Allow them to cool off before trying to remove from the pan. be careful not to mangle and unroll them.
- Chill until needed, serving at room temperature with drizzled olive oil and a squeeze of lemon.
Notes
From the kitchen of palatablepastime.com
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!