SWEET AND SOUR STUFFED GRAPE LEAVES

Sweet and Sour Stuffed Grape Leaves image

A vinegar syrup, mixing sweet and sour, flavors the rice in this recipe from Maryam Maddahi, an Iranian Jew living in Southern California. The dish, which she learned long ago from her mother in Tehran, is also packed with tart lemon flavors and sweetness from dried fruit, like raisins, barberries, apricots, prunes. It made its way to The Times in 2010, after being playing a part in the Maddahis' Sabbath table, alongside appetizers packed with herbs.

Provided by Joan Nathan

Categories side dish

Time 2h

Yield About 40 stuffed grape leaves

Number Of Ingredients 12

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Ingredients

2 cups red wine vinegar
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups plus 3 tablespoons basmati rice
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup grapeseed or vegetable oil
2 onions, finely chopped, about 1 1/2 cups
1 cup raisins, rinsed and drained
1 cup barberries, rinsed and drained (see note)
2 tablespoons sour salt or lemon powder, or the juice of 2 lemons (see note)
One 16-ounce jar grape leaves, stems removed, rinsed and dried
1 1/2 cups dried apricots
1 1/2 cups dried Iranian golden prunes (see note) or dried plums

Steps:

In a small saucepan, combine vinegar and sugar. Bring to a boil, then lower heat, and simmer until a thin syrup forms, about 10 minutes. Let cool in pan.
In a medium saucepan, bring 6 cups of water to a boil. Add 1 1/2 cups of the rice, and salt. Boil until rice is al dente, about 10 minutes. Drain and let rice cool.
In a medium skillet over medium-low heat, heat oil and add onions. Sauté until golden, about 10 minutes. Add raisins and barberries and sauté a minute or two. Add rice, sour salt, lemon powder or lemon juice, and 2 to 3 tablespoons vinegar syrup (enough for a balance of sweet and sour). Save remaining syrup.
Pour 1/2 cup water into a heavy 5-quart pot and scatter in remaining 3 tablespoons rice, to prevent leaves from sticking to pot. On a work surface, place a grape leaf dull side up, and place 1 tablespoon of rice mixture close to the stem. Fold over both sides of leaf and roll up to close. Place seam side down in pot, continuing until there is a single tightly packed layer. Scatter half the apricots and prunes on top. Make a second layer and scatter remaining fruit on top.
Add 1/4 cup water to reserved syrup and pour over stuffed grape leaves. Place small heat-proof plate on leaves as weight. Cover pot tightly, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Simmer until leaves are tender, about 1 hour. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 109, UnsaturatedFat 1 gram, Carbohydrate 23 grams, Fat 2 grams, Fiber 2 grams, Protein 2 grams, SaturatedFat 0 grams, Sodium 62 milligrams, Sugar 13 grams, TransFat 0 grams