In the past we’ve posted recipes for meatless stuffed grape leaves (yalanchi), which make terrific appetizers, but if you’re looking a a heartier meal, the addition of meat is the way to go. Traditionally, ground lamb or beef are the meats of choice, but to lighten-up the dish, our recipe uses ground turkey, making it lighter, but just as tasty and satisfying.
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| Meat and Bulgur Stuffed Grape Leaves |
Meat and Bulgur- Stuffed Grape Leaves (Sarma)
for the filling)
Salt and pepper to taste
Set aside until ready to cook.
shiny side down.
NOTE: You might want to add another weight, such as a small pot half-filled with water to place on top of the dish. This keeps the grape leaves submerged for even cooking.
5. Bring to a boil; place a lid and tilt it (it won’t fit snugly due to the small pot), then reduce heat to low. Cook for 30-40 minutes until the bulgur or rice and grape leaves are tender.
One suggestion: Layer the leftover leaves at the bottom of the pan. They add flavor and prevent the stuffed grape leaves from burning. Also, you want to arrange the stuffed grape leaves so they are packed (in a wheel pattern, for example). This prevents them from moving around in the liquid and unraveling. And finally: my mom would put a whole bunch of peeled whole garlic cloves in the middle of the leaves, to give extra flavor to the dish.
Or put lamb breast on the bottom of the pot.
Brilliant idea – two meals in one!