📝 About This Recipe
A cornerstone of Middle Eastern mezze, Sarma represents the art of patience and the beauty of communal cooking. These delicate parcels feature tender grape leaves wrapped tightly around a fragrant filling of rice, sweet currants, and warm spices like allspice and cinnamon. Whether served at room temperature as an elegant appetizer or warm as part of a feast, each bite offers a perfect balance of savory, sweet, and tangy notes.
🥗 Ingredients
The Wrappers
- 50-60 pieces Grape leaves (preserved in brine or blanched fresh leaves)
The Filling
- 1.5 cups Short-grain rice (rinsed until water runs clear)
- 3 medium Yellow onions (very finely diced)
- 1/2 cup Extra virgin olive oil (divided use)
- 2 tablespoons Pine nuts (lightly toasted)
- 2 tablespoons Dried currants (soaked in warm water for 10 minutes)
- 1/2 cup Fresh parsley (finely chopped)
- 1/4 cup Fresh dill (finely chopped)
- 1 teaspoon Ground allspice
- 1/2 teaspoon Ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon Sugar
- to taste Salt and Black pepper
Cooking Liquid
- 1/4 cup Lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
- 1.5 cups Boiling water
- 1 piece Lemon (sliced into thin rounds)
👨🍳 Instructions
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1
If using jarred grape leaves, rinse them thoroughly under cold water to remove excess brine and salt. If fresh, blanch in boiling water for 2-3 minutes until pliable.
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2
Heat 1/4 cup of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the finely diced onions and sauté for 8-10 minutes until soft and translucent, but not browned.
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3
Add the pine nuts to the onions and cook for another 2 minutes until they begin to turn golden and fragrant.
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4
Stir in the rinsed rice, currants, allspice, cinnamon, sugar, salt, and pepper. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring constantly to toast the rice slightly.
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5
Pour in 1/2 cup of hot water, cover, and simmer for 5 minutes until the water is absorbed but the rice is still firm (parboiled). Remove from heat.
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6
Fold in the chopped parsley and dill. Let the filling cool completely before starting the rolling process.
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7
Prepare a heavy-bottomed pot by lining the bottom with damaged or torn grape leaves. This prevents the sarma from sticking or scorching.
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8
Place a grape leaf flat on a clean surface, vein-side up, with the stem facing you. Snip off the stem if necessary.
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9
Place 1 heaped teaspoon of the rice mixture near the stem end. Fold the bottom up, then the sides inward, and roll tightly toward the tip into a thin cigar shape.
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10
Arrange the rolled sarma in the pot in neat, tight rows. You can stack them in layers if needed.
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11
Nestle the lemon slices between the rolls and drizzle with the remaining olive oil and lemon juice.
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12
Place an inverted heat-proof plate directly on top of the rolls to weigh them down and prevent them from unraveling during cooking.
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13
Pour the boiling water over the plate until it just reaches the top layer of rolls. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat.
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14
Cover the pot tightly and cook for 45-55 minutes on low heat until the rice is tender and the liquid is mostly absorbed.
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15
Remove from heat and let the sarma cool in the pot with the lid on for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to settle and the leaves to absorb the remaining silky oil.
💡 Chef's Tips
Don't overstuff the leaves; the rice will expand as it cooks and can cause the rolls to burst if they are too full. Always place the rolls seam-side down in the pot to ensure they stay closed without needing toothpicks. Using a generous amount of high-quality olive oil is the secret to the 'silky' texture and glossy appearance of traditional sarma. If you find the leaves too tough, add a splash more water and extend the cooking time by 10 minutes on very low heat. For a meat version, substitute the currants and sugar with 300g of ground lamb or beef, but keep the aromatic spices.
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
Serve at room temperature with a side of thick, garlicky Greek yogurt or Labneh. Garnish with fresh pomegranate seeds and extra sprigs of dill for a vibrant pop of color. Pair with a crisp, dry white wine like a Sauvignon Blanc or an Assyrtiko. Include them as part of a larger mezze platter with hummus, muhammara, and warm pita bread. Drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil just before serving to make them shine.