Yaprak Sarma Recipe

Remove grape leaves from the jar and separate them gently. Place in a colander and rinse thoroughly under cold water to remove excess brine. If leaves are very salty, soak in 2 cups fresh water for 15 minutes, then drain and blot dry with paper towels.

Trim the stems from the base of each leaf with kitchen scissors so they lie flat when rolled.

Heat 0.5 cups olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the pine nuts (if using) and toast for 1–2 minutes until golden, then add the chopped onion and sauté 6–8 minutes until soft and translucent.

Stir in the tomato paste and cook 1 minute to mellow the flavor. Add the rinsed rice and stir to coat with oil and tomato paste, toasting the rice 1–2 minutes.

Pour 0.75 cups warm water into the skillet, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 7–8 minutes — you want the rice partially cooked and still slightly underdone since it will finish cooking inside the leaves.

Remove skillet from heat. Stir in the chopped parsley, dill, mint, currants or raisins, toasted pine nuts, lemon zest, 2 tbsp lemon juice, ground allspice, cinnamon, salt and black pepper. Mix thoroughly and let the filling cool until easy to handle (about 10 minutes).

Prepare your pot: brush the bottom with 2 tbsp oil. Thinly slice one potato or tomato and arrange overlapping slices to cover the base — this prevents the sarma from sticking and helps weigh them down during cooking.

Place one grape leaf shiny-side-down on a work surface with the stem end towards you. Put about 1 heaping teaspoon to 1 tablespoon of the filling (approximately 1 to 1.5 tbsp, depending on leaf size) near the stem, leaving 1/2 inch border on the sides.

Fold the bottom edge over the filling, then fold both sides inwards and roll tightly toward the tip to form a small cigar-shaped parcel. Do not overfill; parcels should be compact so they cook evenly.

Repeat the rolling process with remaining leaves and filling. Arrange the rolled sarma seam-side-down in concentric circles over the potato/tomato layer in the pot, packing them snugly to prevent unrolling during cooking. Stand a few leaves upright along the edge if you have extras to fill gaps.

Once the pot is filled, place a heatproof plate upside-down on top of the rolls to keep them submerged. Pour 1.5 cups water or vegetable stock over the rolls, then tuck lemon slices around the edge and drizzle 1 tsp extra lemon juice on top.

Cover the pot, bring to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat, then reduce heat to low and cook for 40–50 minutes until rice is fully tender and leaves are soft. Check after 30 minutes: if liquid is evaporating too quickly, add a few tablespoons more water.

Turn off heat and let the sarma rest in the pot, covered, for 15–20 minutes to finish steaming and set.

Carefully lift the plate and remove the sarma in sections using tongs or a spatula. Arrange on a serving platter. Serve warm or at room temperature with additional lemon wedges.