Warak Enab bil Lahme

Ingredients

Instructions

1. 1

   Bring a kettle of water to the boil. Separate the jarred grape leaves, rinse them under cool water to remove excess brine, then soak them in hot water for 2 minutes. Drain well and trim any tough stems. Keep torn or small leaves aside for lining the pot and patching rolls.

2. 2

   In a bowl, combine the minced lamb, rinsed rice, minced onion, finely diced tomato, parsley, cinnamon, allspice, salt, black pepper, and olive oil. Mix thoroughly with your hand or a spoon until the rice and seasonings are evenly distributed, but do not overwork the lamb into a paste.

3. 3

   Line the bottom of a medium heavy pot with any torn grape leaves, then arrange the sliced tomato and sliced garlic over them. This protects the stuffed leaves from direct heat and lightly perfumes the broth.

4. 4

   Lay one grape leaf shiny-side down with the stem end facing you. Place about 1 heaped teaspoon of filling near the base, fold in the sides, and roll tightly into a slim cylinder. Leave a little room for the rice to expand; too-tight rolls can split. Repeat with the remaining leaves and filling.

5. 5

   Pack the rolls seam-side down in the pot in tight concentric layers so they cannot unravel during cooking. Wedge any small pieces into gaps.

6. 6

   Mix the lemon juice, water or stock, salt, and olive oil. Pour over the rolls; the liquid should come just to the top layer, not drown them. Place the lemon slices on top and set a small heatproof plate over the rolls to keep them submerged.

7. 7

   Bring the pot to a gentle simmer over medium heat, then immediately reduce to low. Cover and cook for 35 minutes, maintaining a very gentle simmer. The broth should barely bubble; vigorous boiling can burst the leaves. Check near the end: the rice should be tender and the leaves soft.

8. 8

   Remove from the heat and let the pot rest, covered, for 10 minutes so the rolls firm up and reabsorb some broth. Drizzle with the remaining olive oil for sheen and aroma.

9. 9

   Carefully lift out the warak enab and arrange on a warm plate. Spoon over a little of the lemony cooking liquid and the softened tomato from the base. Serve warm, or at room temperature for a more traditional texture and flavor.

Nutrition per serving

Notes

• •If using fresh grape leaves instead of jarred, blanch them in boiling water for 30-60 seconds until pliable, then cool before rolling.
• •Short-grain rice gives the proper tender, slightly creamy interior; avoid parboiled rice because it cooks unevenly in the rolls.
• •For neater rolls, keep your fingers slightly damp and use smaller amounts of filling than you think you need.
• •A spoonful of plain yogurt alongside is delicious, though not strictly necessary for serving.

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