Stuffed Grape leaves....YES YOU READ THIS RIGHT LOL.....I KNOW FINALLY....LOL...

[a_ramli05]

Asalam walaikum ladies, let me start off by saying I'm sorry it has taken me so long to post this recipe I know it's been in the discussion before and we have spoken about the different varieties from different Countries, well this is is how my husband eats them back home (Syria) or atleast close to how they make them there LOL LOL LOL  

                                              STUFFED GRAPE LEAVES

WHAT YOU WILL BE NEEDING:

• ONE JAR OF GRAPE LEAVES (I LIKE USING THE SADAF BRAND)
• ONE CUP CALROSE SHORT GRAIN RICE (BUT YOU CAN USE OTHER RICE AS WELL, THE MAJOR DIFFERENCE IS IN THE SIZE OF THE RICE GRAIN)
• 1LB LEAN GROUND BEEF OR LAMB
• JUICE OF 3 MEDIUM SIZE LEMONS OR (3 TSP LEMON JUICE)
  
• 6 CLOVES OF GARLIC PEELED
• TWO tsp OF SALT (IN 2 PARTS)
  
• ONE TEASPOON ALL SPICE
• 1 tsp PEPPER
• A BIT OF SAFLOWER (OPTIONAL)
• 3 MEDIUM SIZED POTATOES
• AND SOME OLIVE OIL
  

                                            PREPERTION:

IN A BOWL RINSE OUT THE RICE UNTIL THE WATER RINSES CLEAR

IN A LARGE MIXING BOWL COMBINE RICE, GROUND BEEF OR LAMB WITH, PEPPER, ALLSPICE AND SAFLOWER AND 1tsp OF THE SALT, COMBINE WELL AND SET ASIDE

DRAIN THE JUICE FROM THE JAR OF GRAPELEAVES INTO A BOWL AND SET ASIDE (IF YOU HAVE LEFT OVER LEAVES YOU CAN REPACK THEM IN THE ORIGINAL JUICES AND REFRIGERATE FOR LATER USE)....REMOVE THE GRAPE LEAVES FROM THE JAR (THEY USUALLY COME IN ROLLED PACKS OF 3 IN THE JAR THAT WAY IT IS EASIER TO PULL THEM OUT OF THE JAR WITHOUT CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE LEAVES SO PULL OUT ONE ROLLED PACK AT A TIME

OPEN ONE LEAF AT A TIME REMOVING THE STEM AND PLACE THEM IN A LARGE POT OR BOWL OF HOT HOT WATER (i BOIL SOME WATER AND USE HALF BOIL WATER AND HALF HOT TAP WATER AND SET ASIDE, BECAUSE MY TAP WATER DOESN'T COME OUT VERY HOT DUE TO THE TEMP SETTING ON OUR THERMOSTAT ESPECIALLY WITH LITTLE ONES RUNNING AROUND)

DEPENDING ON THE SIZE YOU LIKE YOUR STUFFED GRAPE LEAVES TAKE ANYWHERE FROM 1tsp TO 1TB OF THE GROUND MEAT MIXTURE AND FORM A ROLL AND PLACE IT ON A BAKING PAN OR PLATE DO THIS FOR ALL OF THE MEAT MIXTURE

PLACE A LEAF WITH THE DULL SIDE FACING YOU ONTO A PLATE (YOU WILL BE ABLE TO SEE THE VEINS IN THE LEAF) AND PLACE THE ROLLED MEAT MIXTURE AT THE BASE OF THE LEAF

BRING THE RIGHT SIDE OVER AT AN ANGLE COVERING THE MEAT

NOW DO THE SAME WITH THE LEFT HAND SIDE

ROLL UP ONCE

NOW FOLD THE SIDES IN NICE AND NEAT

CONTINUE ROLLING  TILL ROLLED COMPLETELY (NIP AND TUCK LADIES)

PLACE THEM ONTO A PLATE AND SET ASIDE

PEEL POTATOES AND CUT THE TIPS OFF AND SLICE THE POTATOES INTO ABOUT 1/2 INCH SLICES AND LINE THE BOTTOM OF YOUR POT

PLACE THE GRAPE LEAVES ON THE POTATOES MAKING SURE TO LEAVE AS LITTLE GAP AS POSSIBLE BETWEEN THE STUFFED LEAVES PLACE  HALF OF THE GARLIC CLOVES AND DRIZZLE LEMON JUICE OVER THEM

PLACE ANOTHER LAYER OF POTATOES ON TOP OF THE LEAVES

AND SPRINKLE A BIT OF OLIVE OIL AND LAYER ANOTHER LAYER OF ROLLED GRAPELEAVES REPEATING THE GARLIC AND LEMON AND THIS TIME ADD THE LAST tsp OF SALT AND A BIT MORE OLIVE OIL

PLACE A PLATE ONTOP OF THE LEAVES

THEN PLACE A HEAVY BOWL ONTOP OF THE PLATE AND ADD WATER TO THE POT AND THE BOWL NOW INSIDE THE BOWL PLACE EITHER A HEAVY ROCK OR HEAVY CAN OR SOMETHING HEAVY THAT WILL PUT WIEGHT ONTO THE LEAVES TO KEEP THEM FROM MOVING AROUND OR FALLING APART (THE BOWL I USE IS EXTREMELY HEAVY SO I JUST PLACE MY MORTOR ROCK INSIDE TO KEEP IT FROM SLIPPING

HEAT THE POT ON A MEDIUM LOW HEAT FOR ABOUT AN HOUR OR UNTIL THE LEAVES ARE TENDER AND THE RICE AND MEAT ARE COMPLETELY COOKED THEN ALLOW THE POT TO COOL AND DRAIN THE WATER

ONCE COMPLETELY COOLED FEEL FREE TO REMOVE THEM FROM THE POT WITH CARE AND PLACE THEM ON A SERVING PLATTER ......YOU ARE NOW READY TO ENJOY YOUR WONDERFUL STUFFED GRAPE LEAVES

The amount that I used here was a bit over double the recipe that is why you see the extra garlic in the pics but usually if just making a LB of meat 6 cloves are enough

Again ladies I do apologize for the tardiness of this recipe I hope you get a chance to try and enjoy....Peace and blessings

and last but not least do make room for trial and error it takes practice, practice, practice See you win some and you loose some LOL LOL LOL

These fell apart but I do believe I'm getting better

Asalam walaikum

Ameena Ramli

[maisah]

As salaamu laykum... Mash'Allah... this looks to good... We make them the same way... except myine are like tiny... I do not know why my dh likes them so small... I love it... You are such a big help... I have to get a new camera... insh'ALlah.. I am getting a new cell with a camera on it so I should be able to up-load pics soon... I do not know when I will be getting it... but soon insh'Allah..

Shurlan sis.. and they look so good.... plz send me some... no.. joke... but at some for me..

[practicingislam]

ooo i so may  make this once my hubbies huge can is gone i wanted to make it for him homemade for so long jazak'Allah khairon when i do make it insh'Allah ill let u know how it came out