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My cooking tips for
the famous Turkish
peasant dish
Yalanci Dolma
 Vine
leaf preparation
 Stems
- Cut off the fibrous stems (if any) with a knife or scissors. Be careful not to
rip the leaves.
If
fresh - Thoroughly wash them in warm tap water. Soften these leaves by
placing them a few at a time in a large pot of boiling water. As each leaf is
parboiled for 2 to 3 minutes, drain it and place it on a flat surface, shiny
side down. Keep the leaves separated.
If
brined - This would be the case if the leaves are sold in glass jars or out
of a barrel. Gently rinse off as much of their excess salt as possible in two or
more changes of hot tap water.
Additional
pointers
Fresh
vine leaves - When using them, select young and tender specimens.
Brined
vine leaves - If you use them, reduce the salt quantity in the recipe by
half (no matter how well you rinse these leaves, some salt will remain).
Selection
- Usually forty or more vine leaves are packed in a standard-sized jar. Select the
choicest (untorn) leaves for stuffing and save the rejects for lining the pan.
Spices
- If you add the cinnamon or pepper in step 4 before the pan has slightly
cooled, those spices may scorch and therefore become bitter.
Rolling
- In step 5, each dolma should be rolled in a reasonably tight but not taut
bundle. You need to leave some room for the expansion of the rice as it cooks.
Positioning
- Unless the dolma are packed snugly and seam side down, the rice may ooze out
as it expands.
Extra
leaves - If you have more dolma than can fit into a single layer in the pan,
start a second layer. Fill up empty spaces with surplus vine leaves.
Simmer
- In step 10, the water must simmer but not boil. The lid must not be removed
until near the end of the cooking period or some of the needed steam will
escape.
Rice
- Do not overcook the preparation in step 109. Otherwise the rice will become
mushy.
Serving
suggestions
Eating
- Forget utensils. Use your fingers.
Lemon
- Furnish each guest with a lemon wedge for squeezing over the dolma.
Appetizer/salad
- Dolma can be enjoyed as an appetizer or as part of a salad plate.
Party
dish - Since yalanci dolma can be made a day ahead of time, it is a
convenient party dish.
Variations
Oven
- Dolma can be prepared in the oven.
Flavoring
agents - Experiment with other seasonings, such as garlic.
Nuts
- Eliminate the pine nuts and/or raisins from the recipe.
Broth
- Substitute broth or tomato juice for the water in step 10.
Lamb
- Dolma can be made with the addition of ground lamb. In this case the dolma are
served hot, usually with a sauce.
Plumpness
- Some chefs completely cook the rice before they stuff the vine leaves. The
chief drawback to this variation is that the rice inside the dolma won't expand,
and therefore the dolma won't be as plump as they should be.
Leftovers
Storing
- Cover the bowl or plate of dolma with plastic wrap and refrigerate the dish
for up to several days. A dolma often improves in flavor as it sits in the
refrigerator.
Yalanci Dolma
 
 
 
 
 
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Yalanci
Dolma
