Stuffed Grape Leaves (Mahshy)
A delicious plant based meal made with aromatic herbed rice stuffed into a juicy and tangy brined grape leaf.
Equipment
- Use of a large cast iron pot is recommended
Ingredients
- 2 lbs grape leaves rinsed and drained
Bottom of the pot
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 5 cloves of garlic, sliced or minced
- 1 lb bone in lamb chops or beef loin OMIT FOR VEGAN RECIPE
- 3 medium potatoes, sliced 3/4 inch thick
- 2 tomatoes, sliced 1 inch thick
For the stuffing
- 2 cups short grain rice, washed and soaked for 20 minutes I use Egyptian rice, sushi rice works well too
- 1 bunch parsley, minced stems removed
- 1 bunch dill, minced stems removed
- 1/2 bunch cilantro, minced
- 1 tbsp dry mint
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 medium onion, minced
- 2 tbsp minced garlic
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
For the cooking sauce
- 4 cups water
- 1 c chicken broth if not using meat pieces USE VEGETABLE BROTH FOR VEGAN RECIPE
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 5 cloves of garlic, sliced
- 2 fresh lemons, juiced 1/2-1 cup lemon juice
- 1 tsp salt
- pinch of black pepper
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 2 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
- Wash the grape leaves and rinse them clean. Set aside to drain. If using fresh picked leaves, blanch in boiling, salted water with a tablespoon of vinegar for 1-2 minutes. Allow to cool before handling.
- In a large pot, add the oil and garlic slices over very low heat. Allow the garlic to infuse the oil, then gently lay down the meat pieces, if using. Layer the potatoes evenly along the bottom as well.
- Turn up the heat and sear the meat and potatoes on one side. Turn over each piece, and turn off the heat. Place the tomato slices if using.
- Combine all the stuffing ingredients in a medium bowl.
- Take one leaf at a time, smooth side down, and fill the leaf with about 1 tsp of stuffing in a line along the bottom where the stem was removed.
- Fold up the bottom sides and slowly roll upward, keeping a tight roll and folding up the sides as you go. Place the rolled leaf in the pot, with the seam side down. Continue with all the grape leaves, creating an even layer of rolled leaves before starting a second layer. Wedge the garlic slices for the cooking sauce in between rolled leaves, and between layers. If using stuffed zucchinis or onions, wedge these in between leaves in the top and bottom layers, as it holds all the stuffed grape leaves in place.
- Once all the stuffing is complete, combine all the cooking sauce ingredients except the olive oil and mix well. Pour evenly all over the pot, covering all the mahshy. Drizzle the olive oil evenly on top.
- Set the pot on the stove on medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Once boiling, cover the pot and simmer for 30 minutes. Be sure to add water, if it dries up or the mahshy will burn on the bottom. Preheat the oven to 400 as this cooks.
- Once the mahshy has simmered for 20-30 minutes, set the pot into the oven, on the middle rack, uncovered. Be sure you can see enough sauce from the top, or it will burn and dry out. Drizzle more olive oil on top, and set some lemon slices as garnish. The lemons look gorgeous once roasted!
- Remove the pot after 15-20 minutes, ensuring it never dries out of liquid. Enjoy hot with yogurt sauce and pita bread!
Notes
If using zucchini, eggplants, or onions, simply wash and cut off the tops.
For zucchini and eggplant scoop out the core with a long coring tool, or a butter knife.
For the onion, slice it along the length from the root head to the stem head, half way through and stop. Do not slice it all the way open. This allows the onion to open up as it boils into easy to grab layers. Set the onion in boiling water for 10-15 minutes until the layers look like they are separating and opening. Allow to cool and pull the layers apart; they easily hold a tablespoon of stuffing and roll shut. Set these on the top of the pot, as they taste delicious when charred in the oven!