Ingredients

• 6 piece large bell peppers
• 200 g long grain rice
• 6 tbsp olive oil
• 1 piece yellow onion
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 30 g pine nuts
• 1 bunch fresh dill
• 1 bunch fresh parsley
• 10 piece fresh mint leaves
• 400 ml hot water
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp ground allspice
• 1 tsp sugar
• 2 tbsp lemon juice

Instructions

1. Prepare the peppers

   Cut the tops off the bell peppers and carefully remove all seeds and white membranes. Rinse under cold running water for 2-3 minutes. The peppers should have clean, hollow cavities ready for stuffing. Do not cut the peppers too thin or they will break during cooking.

2. Make the filling base

   Finely dice the onion into 3mm pieces. Heat 4 tbsp olive oil in a large pan over medium heat for 1 minute. Add the onion and cook for 5-6 minutes until soft and translucent, stirring occasionally. Do not let the onion brown or it will taste bitter.

3. Add rice and aromatics

   Add the rice to the pan and stir for 2-3 minutes over medium heat until the grains are lightly toasted and coated with oil. Add tomato paste, pine nuts, salt, pepper, allspice, and sugar, stirring for 1 minute until fragrant. Do not let the tomato paste burn.

4. Prepare fresh herbs

   Finely chop the dill, parsley, and mint leaves, removing any thick stems. Add 250ml hot water to the rice mixture and bring to a boil over high heat for 2-3 minutes. Reduce to low heat and simmer for 8-10 minutes until the water is mostly absorbed. The rice should be tender but still have a slight bite.

5. Combine filling ingredients

   Remove the rice from heat and stir in all the chopped herbs and lemon juice. Mix gently for 1 minute until evenly distributed. Let the mixture cool for 5 minutes until it's comfortable to handle. Do not stuff the peppers while the filling is too hot or it will cook unevenly.

6. Stuff the peppers

   Fill each pepper three-quarters full with the rice mixture, leaving space at the top for the rice to expand. Place the stuffed peppers upright in a heavy-bottomed pot, fitting them snugly together. Do not overstuff or the peppers will burst during cooking.

7. Cook the dolmas

   Add remaining 150ml hot water and 2 tbsp olive oil to the pot. Cover and cook over low heat for 35-40 minutes until the peppers are tender when pierced with a fork and the rice is fully cooked. Check after 25 minutes and add more water if needed. Do not cook on high heat or the peppers will collapse.

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