Turkish Stuffed Vine Leaves with Rice and Herbs

Ingredients

• 300 g vine leaves in brine
• 200 g basmati rice
• 1 piece onion
• 120 ml olive oil
• 60 g pine nuts
• 40 g currants
• 1 bunch fresh dill
• 10 g fresh mint
• 1 bunch fresh parsley
• 60 ml lemon juice
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground allspice
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 400 ml water

Instructions

1. Prepare vine leaves

   Remove vine leaves from brine and rinse under cold running water. Bring a large pot of water to boil over high heat for 8-10 minutes. Blanch leaves in batches for 2-3 minutes until they become more pliable and bright green. Remove stems carefully and lay flat on clean towels. Do not over-blanch as leaves will become too soft to roll.

2. Make rice filling

   Rinse basmati rice under cold water until water runs clear. Finely dice onion into 3mm pieces. Heat 60ml olive oil in large pan over medium heat for 2 minutes. Add onion and cook for 8-10 minutes until soft and translucent, stirring frequently. Do not let onion brown or it will taste bitter.

3. Add rice and aromatics

   Add rice to onions and stir over medium heat for 3-4 minutes until grains are coated with oil and slightly toasted. Add pine nuts, currants, cinnamon, allspice, salt, and pepper. Cook for 2 minutes until fragrant and pine nuts are lightly golden. Do not burn the spices or they will become bitter.

4. Cook rice partially

   Add 300ml hot water to rice mixture and bring to boil over high heat for 2-3 minutes. Reduce to low heat, cover partially, and simmer for 8-10 minutes until water is mostly absorbed but rice is still firm. Remove from heat and stir in chopped herbs and 30ml lemon juice. Do not cook rice completely as it will finish cooking later.

5. Roll vine leaves

   Place one vine leaf flat with stem end toward you and shiny side down. Put 1 tablespoon filling near stem end. Fold stem end over filling, fold in sides, then roll tightly toward leaf tip. Each roll should be firm but not too tight. Place seam-side down in heavy-bottomed pot. Do not roll too loosely or they will unravel during cooking.

6. Layer and weight

   Arrange rolls in tight layers in pot, packing snugly together. Drizzle with remaining 60ml olive oil and 30ml lemon juice. Add 100ml water and place an inverted plate directly on top to weigh them down. Cover pot with lid and bring to gentle simmer over medium-low heat for 5 minutes. Do not use high heat or rolls may burst open.

7. Simmer gently

   Reduce heat to low and simmer covered for 45-50 minutes until rice is tender and leaves are soft. Check occasionally and add more water if needed. Remove from heat and let cool completely in pot for 2 hours before removing plate. Do not remove plate while hot or rolls may fall apart.

8. Chill and serve

   Transfer cooled rolls to serving platter and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. Serve cold garnished with lemon wedges. The flavors will develop and improve after chilling overnight. Do not serve warm as the traditional preparation is meant to be enjoyed cold.

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