Dolma is Türkiye's national dish, and it signifies any sort of vegetable stuffed with a mixture based on rice. For traditional dolma, grape leaves are stuffed with rice and ground meat. Stuffed leaves were first made at the court of King Khusrow II in the early 7th century.
The popularity of dolma spread throughout the Muslim world, so there are numerous variations of the dish. Dolma is divided into two groups: dolma without meat and dolma with olive oil. Those without meat and cooked with olive oil are called yalanci, meaning imitation.
Adapted from the gastronomy book Turkish Cuisine With Timeless Recipes, this recipe shows how to prepare biber dolması stuffed with a mixture of rice, currants, pine nuts, and an array of herbs and spices.
Adapted from the gastronomy book Turkish Cuisine With Timeless Recipes, this recipe shows how to prepare patlıcan dolmasi or stuffed eggplants. In this variant, the sun-dried eggplants are soaked in sumac-flavored water to soften, then stuffed with a mixture of lamb or mutton, rice, garlic, onion, red pepper paste, herbs, and spices. Once stuffed, they are placed in a saucepan and arranged atop veal ribs and poured over with the sumac juice and olive oil, and cooked on the stove. Instead of ribs, you can also use a mixture of sliced carrots and onions for the saucepan base.
Adapted from the gastronomy book Turkish Cuisine With Timeless Recipes, this recipe shows how to prepare enginar dolmasi the traditional way. In this variant, the artichokes are stuffed with a meatless filling, just a mixture of rice, herbs, and seasonings.
Adapted from the gastronomy book Turkish Cuisine With Timeless Recipes, this recipe shows how to prepare biber dolması stuffed with a mixture of rice, currants, pine nuts, and an array of herbs and spices.