Yalanji

Ingredients

Leaves

• 60vine leaves, fresh or in brine

Filling

• 400 gshort-grain rice, rinsed
• 3tomatoes, finely diced
• 2onions, finely chopped
• 1large bunch parsley
• 1 bunchmint
• 150 mlolive oil
• 3 tbsppomegranate molasses
• 2 tbsptomato paste
• 1 tbspsumac
• 1 tspallspice
• 1 tspblack pepper
• salt

The pot

• juice of 2 lemons
• 3 tbspolive oil
• 300 mlwater
• sliced potato or extra leaves, for the base

To serve

• cold, with lemon wedges
• as part of a mezze

Directions

1. Taste one before you commit to them. If using fresh leaves, blanch them in boiling water for 2 minutes until they soften and darken. Pick fresh leaves young and tender in spring, since older ones are tough and veiny. Cut out the thick stem at the base of each leaf.
2. Mix the rinsed raw rice with the tomato, onion, herbs, olive oil, pomegranate molasses, tomato paste, sumac and spices. Use noticeably less rice than seems right. It swells to about three times its volume.
3. Chop the onion and herbs very finely, and use a great deal of parsley. Let the filling stand 20 minutes so the rice takes up some liquid. Lay a leaf shiny side down, veins upward, on the work surface. Put a thin line of filling near the stem end. Fold the stem end over, fold both sides in, and roll it up firmly.
4. Roll them loosely rather than tightly, leaving room for the rice to swell. This is the balance: tight enough to hold together and loose enough not to split. Set them aside on a tray as you go. Line the base with sliced potato, or with torn leaves. Pack the rolls in tightly, seam side down, in concentric circles. Pack them close so they hold each other shut.
5. Pour over the lemon juice, olive oil and enough water to come just to the top of the rolls. Do not drown them. Set a heatproof plate directly on top of the rolls. Bring it to a simmer, then cover and cook on the lowest heat for 45 minutes to an hour.
6. Keep it at the barest simmer. Do not stir the pot at any point. Add a little hot water if it dries out before the rice is done. Let them cool completely in the pot before moving them. They are fragile when hot and they firm up considerably as they cool. Arrange them on a platter with lemon wedges and a thread of olive oil.
7. Serve them as part of a mezze, at room temperature or cold. They keep four or five days refrigerated and are better on the second day.

Technique

• The name means liar, since they contain no meat.
• They are served cold, unlike the hot meat-filled version.
• They improve after a night in the fridge.

Substitutions

• Brined vine leaves from a jar, rinsed well.
• Chard or cabbage leaves, which are used in some regions.

Variations

• With chickpeas added to the filling.
• Made with chard leaves.
• Stuffed into courgettes or aubergines instead.

History

The name means liar in Turkish: vine leaves stuffed with rice and no meat, eaten cold in olive oil.

Frequently asked questions

What is Yalanji?

Yalanji is a salad & side from Syria: vine leaves stuffed with rice, tomato and pomegranate, served cold. The name means liar in Turkish: vine leaves stuffed with rice and no meat, eaten cold in olive oil.

How long does Yalanji take to make?

Yalanji takes 1 hr 30 min of preparation and 1 hr of cooking. The recipe makes about 50 rolls. It is rated hard to make.

What can I substitute in Yalanji?

Yes, within limits. Brined vine leaves from a jar, rinsed well. Chard or cabbage leaves, which are used in some regions.

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

Roll them loosely rather than tightly, leaving room for the rice to swell. This is the balance: tight enough to hold together and loose enough not to split. Set them aside on a tray as you go. Line the base with sliced potato, or with torn leaves. Pack the rolls in tightly, seam side down, in concentric circles. Pack them close so they hold each other shut.