A school for dolma
Azerbaijani
Yarpaq dolması
Stuffed grape leaves
- Time
- 110 min45 active
- Difficulty
- medium
- Served
- hot
- Sauce
- Garlic qatıq
Azerbaijani yarpaq is small — closer to a plump coin than a cigar — packed with lamb, onion, and a green blizzard of cilantro, dill, mint, and often tarragon. It is eaten hot with garlic yogurt (qatıq). UNESCO lists the tradition; every family still argues about the herbs.
The wrap
250 g Grape leaves (fresh or jarred)
About 50–60 leaves for 4. Rinse jarred leaves until they taste like a leaf, not a pickle.
The filling
400 g Minced lamb (shoulder)
Not extra-lean. Fat is the basting system inside the leaf.
80 g Short-grain rice
Baldo, calasparra, or arborio. Rinse. Do not pre-cook.
3 Onions, for the filling
A lot of onion. Grate or mince until almost wet.
1 bunch Cilantro, dill, mint, tarragon
Roughly equal parts, chopped fine. The filling should look green.
40 g Butter
50 g Cooked chickpeas, halved (optional)
A Baku habit. One half-pea per roll is enough.
1.5 tsp Fine salt
Taste the filling. Jarred leaves are already salty — go lighter if using brine leaves.
1 tsp Black pepper
0.5 tsp Turmeric
Optional, a warm tint.
The pot
500 ml Hot water or light stock
You may not use it all. Liquid should come just to the plate, not drown the pot.
2 Lemons
Juice in the pot; wedges at the table.
The sauce
400 g Thick yogurt or kefir
2 cloves Garlic
Gear
- Wide heavy pot with a lid
- Heatproof plate that fits inside the pot
- Mixing bowl
- Sharp knife
- Kitchen shears for stems and ribs
Garlic qatıq
Crush garlic to a paste with salt. Stir into cold thick yogurt or kefir. It should taste louder than you expect — the leaves mute it. Serve icy next to the hot rolls.
Reheat covered with a splash of water. The yogurt sauce is made fresh. Rolls keep 3 days; the garlic yogurt keeps 2.