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"Dolma" plays special role in the Turkish Cuisine, and in pride of place is stuffed vineleaf

Stuffed Vineleaves

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Research into tbe origins of the grapevine show that this plant was growing wild in the Mediterranean region and Europe as long ago as 4000 BC . Grapes have been cultivated in the Aegean region since time immemorial.

Although there are other culinary uses for the vineleaf, the dolma is its real claim to fame.Legend has it that Noah was the inventor of stuffed vineleaves. This story probaby derives from the fact that the vine is such a sturdy plant that it recovers rapidly from drought, floods and other natural disasters.

Dolma, a term based on the Turkish verb dolmak, to fill, refers to all kinds of stuffed vegetables, meats and fish. These play a special role an the Turkish cuisine, but in pride of place is the vineleaf dolma. Stuffed with a filling of rice, herbs , and onions and cooked with olive oil, this dish is known as "Zeytinyagli Yaprak Dolmasi" or "Yalanci Dolma" and is served cold. When cooked with a stuffing containing meat the dolma are known as "Etli dolma" and served hot. Onions a nd rice are essential ingredients of any stuffed dish.

Whether fresh or preserved in brine, the vineleaves for dolma must have been picked early on in the season, preferably in May or June, before the leaves become coa rse and the veins stringy.

Although vineleaves preserved in brine are available commercially, it is not difficult to prepare your own. For those with their own vines to hand, select young branches of well shaped and tender leaves, pull them down and pick the third leaves from the t ips. Continue until you have picked sufficient number of leaves, wash them well in cold water and remove the stalks. Bring two litres of water and half a cup of salt to the boil, remove the pan from the heat and add the vineleaves. Press them down with a wooden spoon occasionally to keep them submerged until they have softened and turned a yellowish green colour. Remove them from the water with a strainer spoon, and arrange them in piles of 10-15 leaves each. Roll up each pile from the stalk end and pack them into a clean glass jar. Pour the brine over them when cool and close tightly. Now your vineleaves are ready to use throughout the winter months.

To prepare the preserved leaves remove them carefully from the jar to avoid tearing, rinse them in cold water and soak them For 10 minutes in hot water. Then rinse them again in cold water and leave them to drain on a kitchen towel. If you are using fresh leaves boil them for a few minutes, rinse and drain. Save torn leaves to line the base of the saucepan.

When wrapping the leaves around thefilling make sure that the smooth side is on the outside of the dolma. Place a spoonful of the stuffing close to the bottom of the leaf and wrap the sides inwards over it. Now roll the leaf up. Smaller leaves are to be preferred for dolma with a meat stuffing, but if all your leaves are large, then you can divide them in two or even three.

Arrange the dolma carefully in a saucepan without packing them too tightly. Line the base of the saucepan with leaves, and lay more leaves between each layer of dolmas. Sprinkle one or two spoonfuls of lemon juice over the variety stuffed with meat if mad e with fresh leaves.

A wide diversity of aromatic herbs and spices are added to dolma stuffings. When preparing a meat stuffing, these may include coriander, mint, sweet basil, and sweet marjoram, parsley, dill and tarragon. In dolma cooked with olive oil, parsley, mint, d ill, thyme and fennel are the most commonly used. There is no harm in experimenting with new flavours when making stuffed vine leaves. For example , a few sprigs of sage laid in the bottom of the saucepan or rose or lemon geranium leaves laid over the top create unusual variations of flavour on the time tested theme.

Black pepper is an indispensible spice for dolma, although tumeric and saffron may sometimes be used in meat fillings, and allspice and cinnamon in meatless fillings. Sour pomegranate or plum juice are popular additions to "Zeytinyagli yaprak dolmasi" in some regions.

Of course, like all Middle East cuisines, meat in Turkey tradtionally means lamb or mutton. However modern dietary patterns are moving away from this h igh fat meat flavour of beef, and either may be used for dolma fillings. If using ground beef place mutt on bones in the bottom of the pan if possible to retain some of the traditional flavour in your meat dolma.

To prevent the dolma floating to the surface of the water while cooking and unwrapping, place a heat resistant china plate over them.

Having reviewed the general principles for preparation of these dishes, it is time to give some recipes. Good appetite... "Afiyet olsun"

STUFFED VINELEAVES WITH MEAT
Ingredients: 500 g vineleaves, 400 g medium fat minced mutton or lamb, 4 medium onions (finely chopped and rubbed with half teaspoon of salt), 200 g (1 cup) washed rice, 1.5 tablespoons butter, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1.5 cups stock or water, 1 bunch parsley, half a bunch dill, half a bunch fresh mint (or two tablespoons dried mint, in which case make the dill a whole bunch), five springs sage, three sprigs rose scented geranium, 1 tablespoon diluted tomato paste (or half a cup tomato juice), one teas poon red pepper paste, half a lemon juice, two cloves garlic.

Put the minced meat, finely chopped herbs, onions, rice, lemon juice, olive oil, tomato paste or juice, pepper paste, salt and pepper in bowl and knead togetber without breaking the rice grains. Wrap in the prepared leaves as descibed in DOLMA? What is it?. Lay the stalks of parsley, dill and mint, sprigs of sage and a few vineleaves on the base of the pan. Arrange the dolma on top and cover wtih another layer of vineleaves.

Place knobs of butter, garlic, dried mint (if chopped fresh mint has not been used in the filling), a few sage leaves and rose scented geranium on top. Place a china plate upside down over the dolma and pour a cup of boiling water into the pan. Cover and simmer for five minutes. Then add half a cup more water and cook gently for about one and a half to two hours until the leaves are tender. Serve on a heated dish and garnish wtth yoghurt, either plain or mixed with crushed garlic and salt.

STUFFED VINELEAVES WITH EGG SAUCE
Prepare vineleaves stuffed with meat filling as described in STUFFED VINELEAVES WITH MEAT.

For the egg sauce: Juice of two lemons, 1 tablespoon flour, 1 tablespoon yogurt, 1 egg yolk.

Beat the egg yolk in a bowl with a fork, and while beating add the lemon juice, flour and yogurd. When the dolma are cooked take two spoonfuls of the juice in which they cooked and beat into the egg sauce. Pour over the top and simmer for a few more minutes before serving.

STUFFED VINELEAVES WITH OLIVE OIL
Ingredients: 500 g vineleaves, 400 g (2 Cups) olive oil, 1 kg onions (finely chopped), 400 g (2 cups) rice (washed in warm water and drained), 1 bunch parsley (finely chopped), 1 bunch mint (finely chopped), 90 g pinenuts, 100 g currants, half a teaspoon black pepper, half a teaspoon salt, half teaspoon sugar, half a cup water, juice of a large lemon.

Heat a cup of olive oil in a saucepan, add the onions, and cook for three minutes.Then add the rice and cook for a further five minutes stirring frequently. Add all the remaining ingredients apart from the lemon juice. Cook until the liquid has evaporate d and remove from the heat. Wrap the stuffing in the leaves prepared as described in DOLMA? What is it?. Lay the stalks of parsley and mint and a few vineleaves in the base of the saucepan and arrange the dolma on top. Pour over the remaining cup of olive oil and lemon juice. Lay a porcelain plate on the dolma, cover the saucepan and cook over a gentle heat for an hour. Leave to cool in the saucepan, then arrange on a dish and garnish with wedges of lemon and sprigs of parsley and mint.

STUFFED VINELEAVES WITH AN UNCOOKED FILLING
Ingredients: 250 g fresh vineleavees, 5 bunches spring onions (finely chopped), 6 medium onions (finely chopped), three bunches dill (finely chopped), half a bunch mint (finely Chopped), 200 g (1 cup) washed rice, 225 g (1 cup) olive oil, half teaspoon salt, one quarter teaspoon cinnamon, half a teaspoon sugar 10 sour plums, one cup of water.

Place all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well with a wooden spoon. Prepare the leaves as described in DOLMA? What is it?. Place half to one tablespoon of filling at the base of each leaf , according to the size, and roll up (not too tightly). Line the pan with vineleaves and the stalks of dill and mint, then arrange the dolma in the pan. Place the plums on top. Add a cup of water and cook over gentle heat for an hour. Leave to cool and ar range on a serving dish.

Source: Meral Demirel, Photos: Suha Kendiroglu, Turkish Airlines Skylife, May 1994, pp.50-54