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Dolma, the Armenian meal in a vegetable

15 years ago

If there’s anything Armenians love to stuff more than their tummies, it’s vegetables.

Sure, we’ll stuff just about any part of a lamb, from the stomach to the head. We even stuff meat with meat (kufteh!).

But veggies are so easy to make into a colorful and tasty meal. You can even skip the meat if you like and just add a bit of onion and perhaps garlic to spice up the filling.

Just remember that when it comes to stuffability, fatter is better. Walk past those long, skinny cukes that make salads crunchy and lavish your attention on the plump, seedy ones. They’re much easier to scoop out, and they hold lots more dolma goodness.

Dolma, the Armenian meal in a vegetable

Vegetables, meat, and rice seasoned to perfection – all in one bite!

Course Main Course

Prep Time 45

Cook Time 1 15

Resting time 30

Total Time 2 30

Servings

Ingredients

The Vegetables:

Select an assortment of your favorite fresh vegetables: tomatoes, peppers, zucchini, cucumbers, cabbage leaves – anything that can be stuffed. The amount of vegetables will vary.

The Filling:

1½-2 lbs. ground lamb American lamb, if you can find it, is the best. Note: Ground beef, ground turkey, or a combination can be used.
¾ – 1 cup uncooked, long grain rice
½ 6-oz. can tomato paste diluted in 1/2 cup water Note: the rest of the tomato paste will be used in the sauce.
salt, pepper, paprika to taste
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
¾ cup chopped parsley

The Sauce:

⅓ cup dried sumac berries Sold in Middle Eastern stores. Notes: 1 Tbsp. of ground sumac can be substituted. Sumac provides a lemony taste to recipes.
1 dash each of salt – and – sugar
½ 6-oz. can tomato paste
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
3 cups water

Instructions

Preparing the Vegetables:

Wash them, scoop out their centers, and rinse the insides with lightly salted water. Set aside until ready to stuff.

Filling Directions:

Combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl, mixing with your hands or a wooden spoon until well mixed.

Sauce Directions:

Place the sumac berries in a tea strainer – or – wrap in cheesecloth and tie closed with twine. If using ground sumac, it can be sprinkled into the water.
Combine the sauce ingredients in a saucepan, stirring to incorporate the tomato paste. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 20-30 minutes. Discard sumac berries.

To Assemble and Cook:

Fill the cavity of each prepped vegetable about 1/2-way with the meat-rice stuffing. Don’t fill completely; leave room for rice to expand. Continue until all vegetables are stuffed. If you have extra meat-rice filling, shape them into walnut-sized balls and add them to the pot to cook with the vegetables.
Place stuffed vegetables side-by-side in a large pot.
Pour sauce over the vegetables. Place a small dish on top of the vegetables, then put small pot of water on top of the dish to hold the vegetables down during cooking.
Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cook for about 45 minutes, until rice and vegetables are tender.
Allow Dolma to rest for 1/2 hour before serving.

To Serve:

Dolma is best served with thick, cold plain yogurt, and soft Armenian lavash or pita bread.

Notes

If you can’t find sumac, just use lemon juice. Add according to your preferred level of tartness.

Next Lentils, they're not just for Lent »

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View Comments

Jan Norris says:

May 7, 2009 at 12:17 am

And I can buy sumac berries -- where in West Palm Beach area???
-- Jan Norris
- Pafra Catlddge says:
  
  December 21, 2021 at 8:23 pm
  
  check online, i bought the powder.
Anonymous says:

May 2, 2010 at 4:13 pm

OKAY I GIVE UP!!!

I am so excited to see this site though!
I used to work in Hollywood. All my staff were Armenian, and for every birthday, the treat was the cake. There was always a spread--And if you could tell me what the name of the mushroom And Yogurt? Side dish dip was I will be so excited!

BUT THE CAKE!!!!!!!!!!

In would come a classic double layer sheet cake, just like an American sheet cake--
But, the filling was this crunchy, honeycomb like molasses crisp wonderful stuff- so in your cake bite there was always a crunch from the filling. I LOVE THIS STUFF!

So--I am trying to find out what it is called, and if I am able to be gifted with this cake on my bday.... I need to tell my family what it is called and which is the best bakery in Little Armenia to get it?????

Can anyone help me?
Cake is crucial-
The mushroom dip would be an extra bonus!!

Thank you!

Lori
- hhh says:
  
  June 14, 2016 at 7:26 am
  
  Hi Lori. This is called honey cake. U can find it ready in any armenian bakery ir grocery store. Easiest city to find it in would be Hollywood or Glendale. ..as far as the mushroom dip you are referring to, you can find that in some armenian markets. Can't think of any off the topportunity of my head. But a Russian market called Rasputin, on Ventura Blvd in encino has it. And they make it quite tasty. Hope this helps! Cheers!
- hhh says:
  
  June 14, 2016 at 7:29 am
  
  Hi Lori. This is called honey cake. U can find it ready in any armenian bakery ir grocery store. Easiest city to find it in would be Hollywood or Glendale. ..as far as the mushroom dip you are referring to, you can find that in some armenian markets. Can't think of any off the topportunity of my head. But a Russian market called Rasputin, on Ventura Blvd in encino has it. And they make it quite tasty. Hope this helps! Cheers!
Robyn says:

May 2, 2010 at 5:50 pm

Lori,
Mushrooms aren't often used in Armenian recipes. Could the dip you mentioned have been made with eggplant perhaps?
I'll do some research plus post your recipe requests. Maybe someone out there knows!
Thanks!
Anonymous says:

July 3, 2010 at 6:25 am

Lori,
I think the dessert you described by taste and crunch (but not by appearance) is Baklava, made with very thin layers of dough, crushed nuts, honey). It's often cut in diamond/diagonal pieces. It should not be difficult to find as you also would see it in Greek bakeries.

Like Robyn, I'm not familiar with the mushroom/yogurt dish, but I grew up with a common yogurt/cucumber dressing.

Hope this is on target and not too late for your birthday!

Ruth
Anonymous says:

July 22, 2011 at 11:48 pm

The cake that she's referring to is not baklava it's a white sheet cake called beze...it's make with whipped egg whites and nuts
Robyn says:

July 23, 2011 at 2:11 am

Anonymous,Would you happen to know of a recipe for this cake?
Anonymous says:

August 7, 2011 at 7:24 pm

All are TURKISH cuisine !!!!
Anonymous says:

August 22, 2011 at 2:25 am

all AZERBAIJAN and TURKISH meal
Anonymous says:

January 27, 2012 at 3:30 pm

Armenian food is delicious.
Anonymous says:

April 8, 2012 at 1:33 am

Really, are you still fighting about what country the recipes belongs to? Get over it. The recipes belong to them all. Why not talk about important topics, like peace and getting along with your neighboring countries. I'm just saying... Love this site, by the way.