Kelem Dolmasi

Tender lamb rolls wrapped in cabbage leaves with rice, chickpeas, and aromatic spices. This dish is steamed and served with tomato sauce.

Ingredients

• 500 g Ground lamb
• 1 pcs Cabbage
• 224 g Onion
• to taste Salt
• to taste Black pepper
• 0.5 tsp Turmeric
• 0.5 tsp Cinnamon
• 2 tbsp Cilantro
• 2 tbsp Dill
• 56 g Rice
• 56 g Chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
• 84 g Lamb fat
• 1 tbsp Tomato paste
• 3 tbsp Water

Instructions

1. Pour boiling water over the rice and cook for 8 minutes. Meanwhile, peel the onion and chop it finely. Chop the cilantro and dill.
2. If using canned chickpeas, drain the liquid and lightly mash them with a fork or in a mortar so they blend better with the filling. This will help the chickpeas distribute evenly inside the dolmasi.
3. Chop the lamb fat finely. Run the lamb through a meat grinder (or use store-bought ground lamb).
4. In a large bowl, combine the ground lamb, onion, chickpeas, rice, cilantro, dill, turmeric, cinnamon, and fat. Mix thoroughly by hand until the mixture is uniform. Season with salt and black pepper to taste, adding more than seems necessary.
5. Fill a large pot with salted water and bring to a boil over high heat. Carefully detach the outer leaves of the cabbage (you will need them) and place the entire head into the boiling water. Boil for 3–4 minutes, turning the head so the water thoroughly soaks it. This is done to soften the delicate leaves and make them easier to detach.
6. Carefully remove the cabbage head from the boiling water and let it cool for 1–2 minutes. Gently detach the leaves, cutting them at the base if necessary. Try to remove whole leaves. If the inner leaves are still tough, return the head to the boiling water for another 3–4 minutes and repeat the process.
7. Lay the leaves on a cutting board. Remove the tough stems (you will need them for the base). Cut large leaves in half.
8. Place approximately one tablespoon of filling in the center of each leaf, forming a short cylinder. Fold the leaf edges over the filling, then roll tightly like a small roll.
9. Place all the trimmings and stems of cabbage on the bottom of a large pot—they will create a base for steaming. Carefully arrange the dolmasi seam-side down on the layer of cabbage.
10. Pour water into the pot to approximately the level of the top of the cabbage trimmings, but do not cover the dolmasi themselves. Place an inverted plate or lid on top of the dolmasi and weigh it down with something heavy to prevent the dolmasi from unrolling during cooking. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 25 minutes.
11. Meanwhile, mix the tomato paste with water and heat the mixture over medium heat for several minutes. After the dolmasi have simmered for 25 minutes, pour the tomato sauce over them and cook for another 5 minutes.