Dolmades (Cyprus)
Dolmades, a beloved dish in Cyprus, showcase the island’s rich culinary heritage. These tender vine leaves are carefully stuffed with a flavourful mixture of rice, herbs, and sometimes ground meat, then delicately simmered to perfection. Turkish Cypriots call this dish dolma, while Greek-speaking Cypriots refer to it as koupepia or dolmades. Though there are slight variations between families and communities, I wanted to celebrate what unites us rather than what sets us apart. Thanks, Christina Soteriou!
Ingredients
- 400g short-grain white rice
- 1 white onion
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 50g pine nuts
- 1L water
- 1 stock cube
- 1 tsp allspice
- ½ tsp cumin
- 2 large lemons
- 700g jar vine leaves
- 30g parsley
- 30g mint
- 30g dill
- 3 large tomatoes
Step 1
Rinse the rice thoroughly 2-3 times until the water runs clear. Then, soak it in plenty of cold water for 15-20 minutes before draining. The rice should be soft enough that you can easily break a grain in half.
Step 2
Rinse the vine leaves thoroughly and let them drain in a colander. Lightly toast the pine nuts, and finely chop the herbs.
Step 3
Finely chop the onion and add it to a hot pan with a generous drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt. Sauté the onion for about 10 minutes until softened, adding the tomato paste halfway through cooking.
Step 4
Add the soaked rice to the pan along with the chopped herbs and toasted pine nuts. Season generously with salt and pepper.
Step 5
In a large pot with a lid, drizzle olive oil around the base and sides. Line the bottom with two layers of vine leaves, using any broken or imperfect ones to prevent the stuffed leaves from burning. Then, slice the tomatoes and arrange them in a single layer over the vine leaves.
Step 6
To stuff the vine leaves, place one leaf on a cutting board with the rough side facing up and the stem pointing towards you. Spoon about 1 heaping tablespoon of the filling into the center. Fold the sides inward, then roll the leaf away from you, starting from the stem end, just like rolling a spring roll. Keep in mind that the rice will double in size, so don’t wrap them too tightly—just enough to hold everything together. It’s an art, and you’ll get the hang of it after a few tries!
Step 7
Place each stuffed vine leaf seam-side down on top of the tomatoes in the pot. Repeat the process with the remaining rice and filling, arranging the dolmades snugly next to each other. As you continue, build up the layers—depending on the size of your pot, you may have 2-3 layers of dolmades.
Step 8
Boil 1 litre of water, then pour it into a measuring jug or large bowl. Whisk in the stock cube, cumin, and allspice, along with a tablespoon of olive oil and some salt and pepper. Place an inverted plate on top of the dolmades to weigh them down while cooking, then pour the prepared stock over them.
Step 9
Cover the pot with the lid and cook on the stovetop over medium heat for 30-45 minutes, or until the liquid has been absorbed and the dolmades are fully cooked.
Step 10
Once cooked and still warm, drizzle the juice of two lemons and a generous amount of olive oil over the dolmades. Cover the pot again and let them absorb the flavors for an additional 5-10 minutes. These dolmades are delicious served hot or cold and can be stored in the fridge for 3-4 days.