Tolma

Ingredients

Leaves

• 60to 70 preserved grape leaves in brine, or fresh spring leaves blanched 30 seconds
• extra torn leaves for lining the pot

Filling

• 500 gminced lamb shoulder, coarsely ground, about 20% fat
• 250 gminced beef
• 150 gshort-grain rice, rinsed until the water runs clear
• 2onions, very finely diced
• 1large bunch flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• 1small bunch dill, chopped
• 2 tbspchopped fresh basil or 1 tsp dried
• 1 tbsptomato paste
• 1 tspground black pepper
• 1 tsppaprika
• 1.5 tspsalt
• 40 gbutter, softened, or 3 tbsp melted lamb fat

Pot liquid

• 500 mlwater
• 1 tbsptomato paste dissolved in it
• juice of 1 lemon, or 2 tbsp sour plum sauce

To serve

• 300 gmatsun beaten with 2 crushed garlic cloves

Directions

1. Rinse brined leaves in two changes of water to pull out the salt, then drain; fresh leaves need 30 seconds in boiling water until they turn drab olive and go limp.
2. Mix the minced lamb, beef, rinsed rice, onion, all the herbs, tomato paste, spices, salt and the softened butter with your hands for 3 to 4 minutes, until the mixture is uniform and tacky.
3. Lay a leaf vein side up with the stem end towards you, put a heaped teaspoon of filling near the base, fold the bottom over, fold both sides in and roll up firmly but not tight; the rice needs room to swell or the rolls will burst.
4. Line the base of a heavy pot with torn leaves to stop scorching, then pack the rolls seam side down in tight concentric circles, layer on layer.
5. Pour over the tomato water and lemon juice, adding just enough to come level with the top layer of rolls.
6. Press an inverted plate directly onto the rolls to hold them down, bring to a bare simmer over medium heat, then drop the heat to low and cover.
7. Cook 50 to 60 minutes at the barest simmer. They are done when the rice is soft, a roll cuts cleanly without loose grains, and the leaves have gone dark and glossy.
8. Take the pot off the heat and let it stand covered for 15 minutes so the rolls firm up, then lift them out with a slotted spoon and serve warm with the garlic matsun.

Technique

• Armenians distinguish two families: this grape-leaf tolma, and Echmiadzin tolma, where aubergine, pepper, tomato and quince are hollowed out and stuffed with the same mixture and stewed together.
• The rice goes in raw. It cooks in the juices of the filling, which is why the proportion of rice to meat matters and why the rolls must not be packed too tightly.
• Never boil hard. A rolling boil unravels the leaves and pushes the filling out; you want the surface barely trembling.
• The plate on top is not a quirk. Without weight the rolls float, loosen and fall apart.

Substitutions

• No grape leaves: use blanched cabbage leaves, which makes it kaghambi tolma, the winter version, and add 10 minutes to the cooking time.
• All beef works if lamb is unavailable, but add 2 tbsp of extra fat, since lamb shoulder brings the richness the dish is built on.
• Sour plum sauce or a few dried alycha plums replace the lemon in most Armenian kitchens.

Variations

• Pasuts tolma is the Lenten version, stuffed with red kidney beans, lentils, chickpeas and cracked wheat, served cold with walnut oil.
• Echmiadzin tolma stuffs mixed summer vegetables rather than leaves.
• Some Lori households add a handful of dried apricots to the pot for a sweet-sour finish.

History

Vine leaves or vegetables stuffed with meat and rice; the Lenten pasuts tolma uses beans, grains and no meat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Tolma?

Tolma is a main from Armenia: grape leaves or vegetables stuffed with minced meat and rice. Vine leaves or vegetables stuffed with meat and rice; the Lenten pasuts tolma uses beans, grains and no meat.

How long does Tolma take to make?

Tolma takes 1 hr of preparation and 1 hr 15 min of cooking. The recipe makes 6 servings, about 40 rolls. It is rated medium to make.

What can I substitute in Tolma?

Yes, within limits. No grape leaves: use blanched cabbage leaves, which makes it kaghambi tolma, the winter version, and add 10 minutes to the cooking time. All beef works if lamb is unavailable, but add 2 tbsp of extra fat, since lamb shoulder brings the richness the dish is built on. Sour plum sauce or a few dried alycha plums replace the lemon in most Armenian kitchens.

What is the most important thing to get right in Tolma?

The rice goes in raw. It cooks in the juices of the filling, which is why the proportion of rice to meat matters and why the rolls must not be packed too tightly.