How to Make Stuffed Grape Leaves with Meat

Ingredients

• 1/2 kilo coarsely ground meat
• 2 cups rice
• 1 teaspoon meat spice
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 kilo green grape leaves, or as needed
• 1 kilo ribs or bone-in meat
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Tomatoes as desired
• Dried onion as desired
• Potatoes as desired
• Carrots as desired
• 1 lemon, or as desired
• Meanwhile, stack the grape leaves together and soak them for ten minutes in hot water. Rinse the grape leaves immediately with cold water so they retain their green color.
• In a pot over heat, sauté the bone-in meat with two tablespoons of butter for a quarter of an hour until it takes on color.
• In another pot, arrange slices of tomato, onion, potatoes, and carrots in the bottom, then spread the bone-in meat over them.
• Fatima Zahwi Ghamloush

Method

1. Soak the rice for a while, rinse it well, and drain completely. Add the ground beef with the spices and salt over the rice, and mix well to form the filling.
2. Meanwhile, layer the grape leaves on top of each other and soak them in hot water for ten minutes. Rinse the leaves under cold water to keep their bright green color.
3. Drain them in a strainer to remove excess water. Place a small amount of filling in each leaf, fold in the sides, and roll up.
4. In a pot on the stove, brown the bone-in meat with two tablespoons of butter for about 15 minutes until browned.
   Timers: 15 min
5. In another pot, arrange slices of tomatoes, onion, potatoes, and carrots at the bottom, then lay the bone-in meat on top.
6. Arrange the stuffed leaves beside each other, drizzle with two tablespoons of olive oil and a cup of tomato juice, season with salt, then cover the grape leaves with water.
7. When the water boils, simmer on low heat for about one hour. Add lemon juice to the stuffed grape leaves about 15 minutes before turning off the heat.
   Timers: 15 min