Dolmas are stuffed grape leaves that originated in the Middle East and are popular in Greece. They can be filled with rice and lamb or vegetarian options and are often served with lemon and dipping sauces. Making them at home is easy but time-consuming.
Dolmas are grape leaves traditionally filled with rice and lamb and are made throughout the Middle East and parts of the Mediterranean region. The English-speaking world associates Greek culture with food and has also adopted the Greek word dolma to refer to stuffed grape leaves. If you want to impress your next party guests with your knowledge of the Greek language, it’s dolmas in the singular and dolmades in the plural. Dolmas are found throughout Greece in a variety of styles, including a rarer version that uses a cabbage leaf. They are also popular at deli counters around the world and are a fun picnic and snack.
Dolmas are likely to be a very old food. The preparation method is simple, but also ideal for packing food to be taken on long journeys. The name comes from an Arabic word meaning “stuff”, and it is likely that some form of dolma has been eaten for centuries in the Middle East. The Turks clearly adopted both the food and the word, and it quickly spread to Greece as well.
Basic dolmas begin with assembling a sauteed filling of chopped onions, lemon zest, mint, pine nuts, rice, and lamb. The filling is rolled in grape leaves, and then the dolmas are steamed in a large heavy pan for an hour. After being taken out of the pan, lemon juice is squeezed onto the dolmas and they are either chilled or served hot. Dolmas often appear on buffets or with hors d’oeuvres, and in a more traditional Greek meal they might be served with an assortment of olives, bread and cheese.
Many cooks create a vegetarian version that is also delicious. Vegetarian dolmas are often served with dipping sauces in addition to the traditional lemon wedges. Several Middle Eastern nations have a long tradition of vegetarian dolmas filled with a variety of interesting things including pomegranate seeds, grapes, currants, peas, sweet peppers, or eggplants.
Making dolma at home is relatively easy, although time consuming. All ingredients are readily available in most markets, including grape leaves. Grape leaves often come in cans or jars and need to be soaked in several changes of hot water before being used to remove the tannins from the leaves that could be making them bitter. Be sure to use whole grape leaves, discarding torn or otherwise damaged specimens.
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