Warak Enab — Lemon Grape Leaf Rolls with Tomatoes

Ingredients

• 40 grape leaves in brine, rinsed and stems snipped
• 1 cup short-grain rice, rinsed
• 2 Tomatoes, finely diced
• 1 onion, minced fine
• Big handful parsley and mint, chopped
• Juice of 2 lemons, divided
• 5 tbsp olive oil, divided
• 1 tsp ground allspice
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• 2 cups water or stock
• Salt and black pepper
• 2 potatoes, sliced thick, to line the pot

Method

1. Mix the rice with the Tomatoes, onion, herbs, allspice, cinnamon, 3 tbsp of the oil, half the lemon juice, salt, and pepper. The rice goes in raw and swells inside the leaves.
2. Lay a leaf vein-side up, put a finger of filling near the stem end, fold the sides in, and roll snugly — firm enough to hold, loose enough for the rice to expand. Too tight and they split open.
3. Line the bottom of a heavy pot with the potato slices to stop scorching, then pack the rolls seam-down in tight concentric layers.
4. Pour over the water, remaining lemon juice, and remaining oil. Set a heatproof plate directly on the rolls to weigh them down and keep them from unravelling.
5. Cover and simmer on the lowest heat 45–50 minutes, until the rice is fully tender and almost all the liquid has been absorbed.
6. Rest off the heat 20 minutes before lifting them out. Serve warm or cold with yogurt and extra lemon.