Warak Einab (Stuffed Grape Leaves)
This is the another crowd favorite and a really unique dish to the middle east. We have two types of stuffed grape leaves, the appetizer version which is usually vegetarian and served cold and the main version which is stuffed with rice and meat and served hot. This is the recipe for the main dish version. I will definitely share the appetizer version soon. I see this made with big lamb chops but in my family we always did tomatoes and potatoes so that’s how I’ll be sharing it here. This dish is a true labor of love and I hope you can find the time to try this out at least once.
Serves: 4
Time: 2.5 hours
Ingredients
1 jar Pickled Grape Leaves
1 lbs Ground Beef
2 cups Short Grain Rice
1 tsp Salt
1 tbsp Arabic 7 Spice
1 Russet Potato
1 large Tomato
2-3 cups Maraqa
1 cup Lemon Juice
3 tbsp Olive Oil
Instructions
Remove the grape leaves from the jar and blanch in a pot of simmering water to remove any brine left on the grape leaves. Not a necessary step but in my opinion has a better flavor and texture.
Prep the stuffing by mixing the ground beef, rice, salt, and arabic 7 spice the set aside. Slice the tomato and potato into large pieces and also set aside.
Remove the thick ends of the stems of each leaf then place on a flat surface with the coarse side of the leaf facing up. Fill with a bit of stuffing and roll each leaf by first folding the bottoms over, then the sides, then all the way through making them as tight as possible without ripping the leaf. The roll should be pretty thin.
Get a heavy bottom pot on high heat for a couple minutes and add a tbsp of olive oil. Place the sliced tomato and potato on the bottom then stack all the grape leaves. Place a heavy plate on top to keep the leaves from unraveling. Fill with 2-3 cups of hot maraqa or water if you don’t have maraqa on hand. Cover and simmer for 45 minutes. Then remove the plate and add the lemon juice. Cover and let it simmer for another 15 minutes.
Let the pot cool for at least 15 minutes. Cover with a large serving tray and flip the pot over. Slowly lift the pot revealing the grape leaves. Plate and serve with some plain yogurt and enjoy.
