Grape Leaves Under Pressure
Grape Leaves for over 12 years, I learned from my aunt who is from Syria. My aunt always uses a pressure cooker.
Grape Leaves for over 12 years, I learned from my aunt who is from Syria. My aunt always uses a pressure cooker.
- Carbohydrate 65.586956086141 g
- Cholesterol 86.1819666666667 mg
- Fat 17.756368452381 g
- Fiber 11.045354159827 g
- Protein 34.5078388453617 g
- Saturated Fat 6.83198542619047 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (388g)
- Sodium 150.101633333659 mg
- Sugar 54.5416019263139 g
- Trans Fat 4.42038940952382 g
- Calories 556 calories
Step-by-step
- You will need to wash the grape leaves really well because even though the leaves are in a jar they are not washed and are dirty. I generally soak the leaves and wash each leaf by hand. Washing the grape leaves and rolling them is where you will spend most of your time. Once the leaves are clean and you have removed the little tab part set the leaves aside.
- Wash rice and mix with ground meat, chopped tomato, salt, pepper, cinnamon and one half cup cold water. Stuff one leaf at a time. Place a teaspoon of stuffing in the center of each. Fold the bottom of the leaf up over the stuffing, and then fold from each side to the middle. Roll tightly to form a cylinder about three inches long and somewhat thicker than a cigar
- Place layer of bones in pressure cooker and cover with sliced tomatoes and the whole garlic. Arrange rolls side by side in layers on the tomatoes. Sprinkle with salt and lemon juice. Add water. Cook under pressure 12 minutes. Simmer uncovered to reduce sauce. Mix one half cup of the sauce with crushed garlic and mint. Sprinkle this over the mahshi and simmer a few more minutes to enhance flavor. Remove mahshi carefully from cooking pan. Cool fingers in cold water to facilitate handling the hot rolls. Arrange on platter. Serve hot with bowl of the sauce.
- If you do not have a pressure cooker you can do as follows; Prepare as above. Arrange mahshi over layer of bones and sliced tomatoes. When all has been added, press down firmly with palm of the hand. Add water to cover, salt, and cook about an hour, or until leaves are tender and the stuffing is well cooked. Sprinkle with lemon juice, minced garlic and dried mint. Simmer few more minutes.
- For this recipe I would recommend using a pressure cooker, I think they come out much better!!
Preserving fresh grape leaves in brine allowed Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cooks to extend seasonal produce long before refrigeration existed. Brined leaves require thorough rinsing to remove residual salt and packing debris before rolling. Commercial jars typically contain mature leaves that need careful handling and the removal of fibrous stem tabs to ensure a tender bite. Stuffing raw rice and meat directly into the leaves relies on the cooking liquid to hydrate the grains completely. Pressure cooking accelerates this process significantly, cutting standard stovetop simmering times from an hour down to just twelve minutes while keeping the tightly wound cylinders intact. Lining the bottom of the pot with bones and sliced tomatoes creates a protective barrier that prevents scorching and infuses the bottom layers with rich savory drippings. Acidic elements like fresh lemon juice added to the cooking liquid balance the richness of the meat filling and tenderize the exterior leaf structure. Crushed garlic combined with dried mint makes a pungent finishing oil that is splashed over the finished rolls during a final brief simmer. Freezing cooked grape leaves works exceptionally well for batch preparation, provided they are stored in an airtight container with some of their cooking liquid to prevent the rice from drying out during storage. Reheating frozen rolls gently on the stovetop restores their original texture without turning the exterior leaves mushy.
