Yaprach (stuffed Grape Leaves)

Total Time: 2 hrs 30 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 2 hrs

Ingredients

• 3 cups rice
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1/2 package fresh coriander, chopped
• 1 small tomato, chopped or grated
• 1 teaspoon citric acid
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 pinch black pepper, or to taste if you like it hotter
• 1 (100 g) can tomato paste
• 1 jar pickled grape leaves

Recipe

• 1 mix all the ingredients except for the grape leaves together in a large bowl.
• 2 rinse the grape leaves well in hot water and leave them in a bowl of hot water while you work with each one individually.
• 3 place one leaf on your working surface, smooth side down.
• 4 take one teaspoon of rice filling (measure according to the size of the leaf) and place it in a finger shape in the middle of the leaf.
• 5 roll the outer edges towards but not quite reaching the middle.
• 6 roll from the bottom towards the top into a cigar shape and place in a large pot.
• 7 continue until all the leaves and filling has been used up, placed the filled leaves in the pot in a circular fashion, one level on top of another.
• 8 add water until slightly covering the leaf layers.
• 9 add a few drops of oil, a pinch of pepper and citric acid and 1/2 tablespoon of tomato paste to the water.
• 10 boil covered until all the water has been absorbed.
• 11 remove from heat.
• 12 place a kitchen towel between the pot and cover, cover well and return to a small flame.
• 13 cook for an additional 1/2 hour.
• 14 serve hot or cold.