Passport & Plate - Warak Arish (Stuffed Grape Leaves)
USA | Friday, March 14, 2014 | 5 photos
Ingredients:
1 (16-ounce) jar of grape leaves—approximately 85 leaves.
1 pound of ground beef
2-3 Roma tomatoes, diced
1 large globe tomato, sliced
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 cups of medium grain rice
3 tablespoons of salt, divided
1 tablespoon mix of black pepper, seven spice, all spice, and a teaspoon of cinnamon
1 tablespoon of olive oil
12 large cloves of garlic, divided
Water
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon dried mint
2 medium-sized lemons, juiced
How to prepare this recipe:
Before starting with stuffing, open jar of grape leaves, rinse, separate, and cut the stems off each leaf. Save stems for later! Rinse rice in a large bowl until water is clear and then drain the rice.
In a large mixing bowl, add rice, meat, onion, tomatoes, 2-3 finely chopped garlic cloves. salt, spices, and olive oil. Mix (with your hands! Get into it!) until all ingredients are evenly distributed and set aside.
Slice the large globe tomato into 1/2 inch thick pieces and line the bottom of a large pot or Dutch oven. Throw in the stems.
On your working space, place grape leaves vein-side up with the wide stem-end of the leaf toward you. Add approximately 1 tablespoons of the stuffing toward the bottom of the leaf, mold it into a log shape with your fingers, and roll it egg-roll style. Don’t roll too tightly because you want to allow for room for the rice to expand as it cooks.
*Note that this really depends on the size of the leaf--for bigger leaves you can add a bit more but you don't want them to be so stuffed that they're difficult to roll. If you’re a perfectionist, you can cut bigger leaves in half going with the vein but I like the rustic look.
Add this to the pot in a circular fashion, filling in the pot outward in allowing space for the water to circulate. Repeat in rows until finished.
Add enough water to cover the leaves about 1/2 inch along with the butter and a tablespoon of salt.
Cover leaves with a large plate to prevent them from opening and turn stove on high, slowly bringing it to a boil.
While waiting for the water to boil, crush the rest of the garlic with a mortar and pestle and mix with the dried mint along with 2 ounces of lemon juice. Set aside.
Once it begins to boil, add the garlic and mint mixture, the rest of the lemon juice, and another tablespoon of salt and reduce the heat to low. Let it simmer for about 45 minutes.
Remove the leaves from the pot, serve with plain yogurt and enjoy!
The story behind this recipe:
I am a first-generation Lebanese American born and raised in Southern California in a suburb near Los Angeles. Growing up, I was surrounded by people who couldn't figure out what I was, how to pronounce my name, why my ethnic family talked so loudly, and what that smell coming from my lunch pail was. At the time, I tried so hard to escape who I was and traded my delicious home-cooked Lebanese lunches for a ham and cheese sandwich with a side of chocolate pudding. I didn't realize that when my parents and older brother fled Lebanon in 1985 because my father was an important political figure in a time of a bloody civil, they left behind everything they had ever known. It has not been easy for us to go back and visit or for family to come visit us but I've been lucky enough to meet my maternal grandmother who visited once when I was five and again at fourteen. She is not only a perfect example of a strong-willed Lebanese woman but also an amazing cook who does everything by hand and having her here was one of the greatest times of my life. I remember standing on a stool in the kitchen making warak arish with two generations of strong women laughing, singing, reminiscing and rolling grape leaves until my fingers pruned. It was heartwarming for me to see my grandma critique the culinary work of her daughter whom she hadn't seen in 15 years telling her they were too messy or too large or not tight enough. I spent hours in the kitchen helping and waiting for them to be ready and, when they finally were, I felt like I was home. The flavors were powerful enough to transport me to a land that I've never been to but always dreamed of visiting. Today my grandma suffers from Alzheimer's but this memory is something I’ll never forget. That day In the kitchen I slowly learned to appreciate the things that had once embarrassed me—our beautiful language, rambunctious people, delicate and delicious cuisine, and our love of sharing this with others. This recipe is for you, grandma.
