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Iraqi Dolma

Main
Course Main Course
Cuisine Middle Eastern
Keyword Iraqi
Prep Time 3 hours
Cook Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Servings 8

Ingredients

Rice mix

  • 2.5 cups egyptian rice
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1/2 cup pomegranate molasses
  • 2 lemons
  • 1 large onion
  • 5 garlic cloves
  • 250 g mined lamb
  • 1 parsley bunch
  • 3 tbsp tamarind
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tbsp tomato puree
  • 1 tbsp ground noomi basra (dried lime)
  • 3.5 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp citric acid

Vegetables / Meat

  • 1/2 cup sliced garlic
  • 2 large white onions
  • 1 pack dried egg plants
  • 4 small bell peppers
  • 2 baby courgettes
  • 15 grape leaves
  • 8 swiss chard leaves
  • 2 medium potatoes
  • 4-5 whole Lamb neck pieces

Cooking stock

  • 1 tbsp tamarind
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 5 garlic cloves
  • 2 lemons
  • 1/4 cup pomegranate molasses
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 240 - 250 ml water

Instructions

Prepare the rice

  • Wash the rice thoroughly until the water runs clear.
  • Drain, then pour boiling water over the rice for 3 minutes.
  • Drain immediately and set aside.

Prepare the rice filling

  • Combine all rice mix ingredients in a bowl.
  • Mix thoroughly to ensure even seasoning and flavor.

Prepare the Grape Leaves

  • Remove the grape leaves from their packaging and separate them into smaller bundles. Add them to a pot of boiling water for 10 minutes. Prepare an ice bath in a tray, then drain the grape leaves and transfer them to the ice bath. This will make it much easier and quicker to separate the leaves individually without tearing.
  • Use the rice mixture to fill the leaves and roll them into tight dolma parcels.

Prepare the swiss chard

  • Remove the stems from the Swiss chard leaves and cut the leaves into smaller pieces for rolling.
  • Prepare vegetables
  • Slice the onions through the root end, then place them in a pot of boiling water for 3–4 minutes. Remove and carefully separate the layers one by one. If the inner layers are still firm, return the onions to the boiling water until they soften enough to separate.
  • Hollow out the bell peppers and baby courgettes, and stuff them along with the dried eggplants.

Prepare the cooking pot

  • Spread ghee evenly on the base of a large pot.
  • Layer ingredients in the following order:
    First layer: grape leaves and swiss chard leaves to line the bottom
    Second layer: potato slices
    Third layer: meat pieces
    Fourth layer: onions & half a cup of sliced garlic
    Fifth layer: bell peppers
    Sixth layer: Courgettes
    Seventh layer: Egg plants between the bell peppers and courgettes
    Eighth layer: Grape leaves
    Final Layer: Swiss chard

Cook the dolma

  • Cover the pot and cook over high heat for 30 minutes to allow the vegetables’ natural liquids to release and evaporate.

Prepare the cooking stock

  • While the dolma is cooking, blend all the ingredients for the cooking stock until smooth.

Cook the dolma

  • Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 2½ hours until the rice and vegetables are tender.

Serve

  • Let the dolma rest for a few minutes before serving/flipping the pot/