Sarma consists of a food – usually rice or meat, accompanied by other ingredients and spices – that is wrapped in grape leaves, cabbage or other vegetables; it is a typical dish of Ottoman cuisine that today can be found in many variations in Turkish cuisine, but also in the gastronomy of many countries that were under the influence of the Ottoman Empire including the Balkans, south-eastern Europe or the Middle East.
Ingredients
- 200 g rice
- 500 g grape leaves
- 2 finely chopped onions
- Half a glass of chopped parsley
- 4 tablespoons tomato sauce
- 2 tablespoons pine nuts
- 2 tablespoons dried currants
- 1 tablespoon dried mint
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon thyme
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- Juice of half a lemon
- Half a glass of olive oil
- Half a glass of hot water
- Salt
- Olive oil
Preparation
Put the vine leaves in water and boil for 10 minutes to soften them. Drain and leave to cool. To prepare the filling, soak the rice in warm salted water for half an hour, then wash and drain.
Heat a pan and put olive oil and pine nuts in it, and fry them for 1 minute until golden brown. Then add the chopped onion, salt, and fry for 5 minutes. Then, add the tomato sauce and fry for a further 2 minutes.
Finally add all the spices, parsley, sugar, salt, lemon juice and half a glass of hot water, stir and leave to simmer until the water has evaporated completely.
When there is no water left, turn off the heat and leave the rice to cool. Then take a vine leaf and place a teaspoonful of the rice filling on it, and roll the leaf into a very thin tube-shaped roll.
Repeat the process with the rest of the grape leaves and the rice, and when you have finished, place everything in a pot and add a little water (a glass will be enough), lemon and a little olive oil, and leave it for about 40 minutes over a low heat. After this time, wait for it to cool a little and then you can plate it and serve it, normally accompanied by lemon or yoghurt.
Afiyet olsun!! (Enjoy!!)
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Funda is a master of Turkish cuisine. Her cooking skills have led her to participate in all kinds of contests and competitions, and she has won numerous awards for her recipes. If you try one of her dishes… Say goodbye to your diet!
