Stuffed grape leaves

Name: Stuffed grape leaves - Gabriela N.
Ingredients: 150 sheets of life; 1 kg and 300 g minced pork; 3 cups of rice; 4 onions; 1 large carrot; 300 g tomato paste; salt; pepper; parsley to taste; fresh dill to taste; lovage to taste; green thyme leaves; 2 eggs; sunflower oil.

Meat - Stuffed grape leaves by Gabriela N. - Recipia

Sarmale in vine leaves are prepared from a mixture of pork, rice, sautéed onion, carrot, tomato paste, and herbs. The leaves are blanched beforehand to soften them so they can be rolled without tearing. After wrapping, the sarmale are placed in a pot in layers, over vine leaves, and simmered slowly until the meat, rice, and leaves are well cooked. The quantity is suitable for a large pot and for festive meals. Quick Info Total time: not specified in the original recipe Preparation time: not specified; includes sautéing the vegetables, preparing the mixture, and rolling the sarmale Cooking time: not specified; the sarmale are simmered on low heat until done Servings: not specified; the indicated quantities result in a large amount of sarmale Difficulty: medium Recipe type: traditional sarmale in vine leaves, suitable for festive meals Ingredients 150 vine leaves 1.3 kg minced pork 3 cups of rice 4 onions 1 large carrot 300 g tomato paste Sunflower oil, for sautéing 2 eggs Parsley, to taste Dill, to taste Lovage, to taste Fresh thyme leaves, to taste Salt, to taste Pepper, to taste Water, enough for boiling Preparation method 1. Prepare the vegetables for the mixture Finely chop the onion and grate the carrot. In a pan, heat the sunflower oil and add the onion along with the carrot. Sauté the vegetables until the onion turns golden. Add the tomato paste and let it cook on low heat together with the onion and carrot. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking. Once the mixture is ready, remove the pan from the heat and let it cool. It is important not to mix it hot with the meat. 2. Prepare the rice Wash the rice in several waters, then let it drain. In this recipe, the rice is added raw to the sarmale mixture, not cooked beforehand. 3. Mix the filling Place the minced meat in a large bowl. Add the sautéed onion and carrot with the cooled tomato paste, then mix well. Incorporate the drained rice, the two eggs, and the finely chopped herbs: parsley, dill, lovage, and fresh thyme leaves. Season with salt and pepper. Mix until all ingredients are evenly distributed, and the mixture takes on the reddish hue from the tomato paste. 4. Blanch the vine leaves Put the vine leaves in boiling water and let them sit for about 5 minutes, just enough to soften slightly. They should not be fully cooked. Remove them and let them drain and cool. The leaves should be soft enough to roll but not so fragile that they tear immediately. If some leaves are larger, they can be used for more substantial sarmale. 5. Roll the sarmale When the leaves have cooled, start wrapping. Place the filling on the leaf, then roll and tuck in the ends so that the filling remains inside. Do not overfill the leaves. The rice will expand during cooking, and if the sarmale are too tightly packed, they may unravel. At the same time, the rolls should be sealed well at the ends to prevent the filling from leaking into the pot. 6. Arrange the sarmale in the pot Place leftover vine leaves at the bottom of the pot. If desired, add fresh thyme leaves as well. These form a protective layer between the sarmale and the bottom of the pot. Arrange the sarmale in a circle, side by side, then continue with the next layers until all are in the pot. Finally, cover the last layer with vine leaves. 7. Cook the sarmale Pour enough water to cover them and bring the pot to a simmer on low heat. The sarmale should cook slowly until the meat, rice, and leaves are well done. The exact time is not mentioned in the original recipe, so checking is done by tasting. When the leaf is tender, the rice is cooked, and the meat is no longer raw, the sarmale are ready. If the liquid decreases too much during cooking, add water as needed to ensure the sarmale do not run dry. Why I make this recipe often I love this recipe because it uses a large amount of leaves and allows for the preparation of many sarmale in one go. The mixture is simple, but the sautéed onion, carrot, and tomato paste give it flavor and color. Sarmale can be served at a family meal and are practical when cooking for many people. Tips Let the onion mixture cool before adding it to the meat. If it is too hot, it can warm the meat and make the mixture harder to work with. Wash the rice well and let it drain before use. Excess water can make the mixture too soft. Blanch the leaves just enough to soften them. Overcooked leaves can tear when rolling. Arrange the sarmale as close as possible to each other. This way, they hold their shape better during cooking. Slow cooking is important. At too high a heat, the sarmale may unravel, and the liquid will decrease quickly. Before considering the dish done, taste a sarmal from an inner layer. That’s where you can best check if the rice and meat are cooked through. Substitutions The meat in the original recipe is minced pork. No other meat is indicated in the recipe, so replacing it with another type of meat will change the taste and texture of the sarmale. Vine leaves are the specific ingredient of the dish and cannot be replaced in this recipe without resulting in a different type of food. If you do not have all the herbs, they can be reduced to taste, but keep the salt, pepper, onion, rice, and tomato paste, which form the base of the mixture. Variations You can make smaller or larger sarmale, depending on how you prefer to serve them. The important thing is to maintain the same care in filling, as the rice expands during cooking. If you have larger leaves, you can use them for more substantial sarmale. Smaller leaves are suitable for smaller rolls but will require more time to wrap. In the pot, leftover vine leaves can be used both at the bottom and on top. In the original recipe, thyme can also be added for a more aromatic flavor. Serving ideas Sarmale are served after being cooked and can be placed on the table directly from the pot, with the vine leaves that covered them. They are suitable for festive meals and for times when cooking for many people. Frequently asked questions 1. Is the rice cooked beforehand? No. The rice is washed, drained, and added raw to the mixture of meat, onion, carrot, eggs, and herbs. It will cook during the sarmale's boiling. 2. How long are the vine leaves blanched? The leaves are kept in boiling water for about 5 minutes, just enough to soften slightly. After that, they are left to drain and cool before rolling. 3. How much water is added to the pot? Add enough water to cover the sarmale. Throughout cooking, monitor the liquid level and top up if it decreases too much, so the sarmale can simmer on low heat. 4. How do I know when the sarmale are ready? The test is done by tasting. The leaf should be tender, the rice cooked, and the meat fully done. If the leaf is still tough or the rice is not cooked through, cooking should continue. 5. What do I do if the leaves tear during wrapping? Leaves that have softened too much can tear more easily. Use whole leaves for rolling, and the torn ones can be placed at the bottom of the pot or on top as a covering layer. Nutritional values The values are estimates and cannot be calculated accurately, as the recipe does not specify the amount of oil, the final number of servings, the size of the rice cup, or the fat percentage of the minced pork. For a serving of about 4-5 sarmale, the estimate can be: Calories: approximately 350-500 kcal Protein: approximately 22-30 g Carbohydrates: approximately 30-45 g Fat: approximately 15-25 g The final value varies mainly depending on how much oil is used for sautéing, how fatty the meat is, and how large the sarmale are. The tomato paste and rice mainly contribute to the carbohydrate count, while the meat and eggs contribute to the protein and fat intake. Storage and reheating After cooling, the sarmale are stored in the refrigerator in a covered container and consumed within a few days. Do not leave them out at room temperature for long, especially if served at a long meal. They can also be stored in portions for easier reheating. When reheating, heat only the amount that is to be consumed and keep some liquid in the pot to prevent drying out. The sarmale can be reheated on the stovetop over low heat until hot inside.

Stuffed grape leaves

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