Food Stories is a new column in which Best of Vegan community members share recipes from their cultures and personal stories connected to those dishes. Today, Waseem Hijazi of demeals shares his recipe for vegan yalanji, also known as the Middle Eastern version of stuffed grape leaves, and Waseem’s all-time favorite dish.
If I were to ask you what your favorite food is, how many dishes would come to mind first before you finally pick one? For me, only one would pop up. And without a thought, Iโd say itโs Yalanji! Not just the one with the grape leaves, but in all of its forms.
I come from multiple countries (Palestine, Jordan, Syria), and it was always through food that I really got to know my culture.
For as long as I can remember, Yalanji has been my favorite thing to eat. Maybe growing up with grapevines in our garden had something to do with itโฆ I was always asking if we can make more! So when weโd run out (yes, we really did), or when theyโre not in season, my mom would make the same savory filling and stuff it in all kinds of veggies. Zucchinis, eggplants, bell peppersโฆyou name it!
What Is Yalanji?
Yalanji is a popular cold appetizer, wildly made across the Middle East. Itโs also known as: dolma, tolma, yebraa, waraa inab bil zeit, waraa dawali bil zeit, amongst many other names. In Arabic, Bil zeit means โin oilโ, referring to the savory oily filling thatโs wrapped in grape leaves. Itโs packed with pomegranate molasses, lemons, and olive oil for a tangy zesty kick.
It is said that Grape Leaves (as a dish) originated from Greece, and made its way around the Middle East, where it was adapted into individual cuisines. Itโs traditionally rolled with minced meat and warm spices. But thereโs another common version out there, which happens to be vegan already!
Yalanji takes a lot of work and a lot of time. But itโs all worth it in the end!
I like to describe it as a Tabouleh (Syrian/Lebanese salad), minus the bulgur, mixed with rice and rolled up in vines. Slow-cooked until soft and tender. Served cold with a squeeze of lemon and a garnish of parsley. Itโs a must-have starter for any type of mezze โ a selection of small appetizers served as a meal.
As a way of helping out with the dish, I used to go out to the garden and pick out the fresh leaves to bring back to my mom so she can โteach meโ how theyโre made. Turns out thereโs more to it than picking and rolling… After watching the process of picking, snipping, washing, blanching, rolling, and cooking over and over again, I now know why mom did her best to avoid making them so often. And when she did, there would always be a big batch to last a few days. Itโs a lot of work and a lot of time. But itโs all worth it in the end!
How Vegan Yalanji Is Made
Since Iโm all about Delicious & Easy Meals, I like to swap out a few of the never-ending steps with jarred grape leaves. No need to pick and blanch, or wait for them to cool down before rolling. Less work, less clean up, and you get to enjoy them sooner!
Though I must say, it hits differently when you hand-pick the leaves yourselfโฆ Itโs all about the prep! The recipe can be broken down into 3 main parts: preparing the filling, preparing the vine leaves, and preparing the pot. Let’s break it down:
1) Preparing the filling:
Itโs a rice mixture, with veggies and herbs, soaked up in an oily pomegranate molasses sauce. You can chop up the vegetables by hand, or blend them up in a food processor with parsley and mint. Make sure to have the rice already rinsed, soaked, and drained beforehand.
2) Preparing the vine leaves:
Since theyโre jarred, there wonโt be a need to blanch them. But we still have to rinse the leaves to get rid of the preserved liquids from the jar. Snipping off the strings and placing them in a stack, soft side down. Followed by adding the filling to the centre of each. The key to rolling is to not overfill the leaves.
3) Preparing the pot:
Itโs layered with sliced potatoes and tomatoes, followed with the stuffed grape leaves. Packed tightly in the pot, so they can hold together while cooking. Covered with garlic and reserved liquids from the filling from earlier.
Once everything is prepped, itโs a matter of time to let them cook slowly until theyโre ready. And then more time to cool down and refrigerate. Vegan yalanji is a recipe that requires a lot of patience!
Vegan Yalanji Is a Perfect Party Food!
No matter what you call this dish, and whether theyโre rolled in leaves or stuffed in veggies, theyโll always make a great party food! These bite-size snacks are perfect for picnics, potlucks, or a special family celebration. Theyโre also more fun to make as a group activity!
Vegan Yalanji Stories & Tips
Although Iโm obsessed with its irresistible divine flavours, my real connection to Yalanji stems from the stories I heard while learning how to make it. I come from multiple countries (Palestine, Jordan, Syria), and it was always through food that I really got to know my culture. Sitting down with my mom and late grandmothers, listening to their stories of how they first learned the dish. What it meant to them. How theyโve passed down their recipes. The tips and tricks they picked up along the way.
Here are a few of my favourite tips about grape leaves:
Tip #1. Roll them in batches
On a large surface, spread out as many leaves at once as possible. Add the filling to the centre of each, then roll them up all at once. You wonโt believe how much time this saves!
Tip #2. Keep tucking as you roll
When folding over the bottom to roll, keep on tucking in the sides as you continue on rolling. This helps keep the grape leaves from falling apart.
Tip #3. Stack & Freeze
If theyโre freshly picked and youโre left with extras after blanching, with no more filling to roll, stack and freeze in small batches. Next time you have a filling, youโll have ready to roll leaves!
Ingredients
For the Filling:
- 2 cups short-grain rice - Jasmine/Egyptian rice
- 2 large tomatoes - small dice
- 1 cup tightly packed curly parsley, finely chopped
- 3 stalks green onion - thinly sliced
- โ cup tightly packed fresh mint, finely chopped
Spice mix/sauce:
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp pomegranate molasses
- 2 lemons - freshly squeezed
- 1 tbsp salt - adjust to taste
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
For the Pot:
- 2 potatoes - sliced into ยฝ inch circles
- 2 tomatoes - sliced into ยฝ inch circles
- 5-6 garlic cloves
- Reserved liquid from the stuffing
- Jarred grape leaves - will need about 80. Store the rest for later.
Instructions
- Rinse the rice until the water runs clear. Soak for 30 minutes. Drain and drop into a large bowl. Set aside for later.
- Finely chop the veggies for the stuffing. Whisk up the spice mix/sauce in a small bowl. Add everything to the bowl of rice and give it a good mix. Let it sit to soak up the flavors for 30 minutes. Once done, place a strainer in a separate bowl, and drop in the Yalanji filling, reserving the liquids for later.
- Rinse the vine leaves under water (room temp) to wash off the liquids caught from the jar.
- Snip off the hanging strings, and place each vine leaf on a clean plate with the soft side down.
- Add 1 heaping tsp of the stuffing to the center of each individual leaf. Fold over the bottom, tuck in the sides, and roll all the way through.
- Slice the potatoes and tomatoes. Place them at the bottom of a large pot.
- Add the stuffed grape leaves on top of the tomatoes, holding them tightly in place. Stick in the garlic cloves in between layers.
- Add the reserved liquid, with more water to top off the grape leaves, if needed.
- Bring it to a boil. Place a heat-proof plate upside down to cover and hold everything in place.
- Turn down the heat to low and cook for an hour to an hour and a half, until soft and tender. Serve cold.
Notes
Text, recipe and photography by Waseem Hijazi.
Waseem Hijazi is the recipe creator and food blogger behind demeals. An accountant by day, and a foodie all throughout the day, he creates plant-based recipes for tasty food, thatโs simply made. He focuses on implementing diversity of plants within the recipes he shares, and bringing out the vegan-friendly foods from his culture, often mixing middle eastern flavours that take him back to his favourite childhood dishes.
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