Ingredients for Sivas-Style Grape Leaf Rolls (Yaprak Sarma)
- 500 g (about 1 lb) grape leaves
- 1.5 water glasses (about 300 ml / 1½ cups) water
- 2 water glasses (about 400 ml / 1¾ cups) village-style bulgur (cracked wheat) (regular bulgur also works)
- ½ water glass (about 100 ml / ½ cup) rice
- 2–3 medium onions
- A pinch of parsley
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste (domates salçası)
- 1 water glass (about 200 ml / ¾ cup + 1 tbsp) vegetable oil
- 1 dessert spoon (about 2 tsp) Aleppo pepper flakes
- 1 dessert spoon (about 2 tsp) black pepper
- 1 dessert spoon (about 2 tsp) dried mint
- 1 bunch dill
- 1 dessert spoon (about 2 tsp) sumac
- 1 dessert spoon (about 2 tsp) salt
How to Make Sivas-Style Grape Leaf Rolls (Yaprak Sarma)
In a bowl, combine 1.5 water glasses of water, 2 water glasses of rice, 2 water glasses of bulgur (cracked wheat), a pinch of parsley, 1 dessert spoon of Aleppo pepper flakes, 1 dessert spoon of dried mint, 1 dessert spoon of black pepper, 1 bunch of dill, 1 dessert spoon of sumac, and 1 dessert spoon of salt — mix everything together. Place a portion of the filling onto each boiled grape leaf and roll them up tightly like a pencil.
Arrange the prepared rolls in a pot and add a small amount of cold water. Bring to a boil once.
In a pan, sauté 2–3 medium onions, julienned, in 1 water glass of vegetable oil. Add 1 tablespoon of tomato paste (domates salçası) and 1 tablespoon of red pepper paste (biber salçası), stir to combine, then remove from heat and pour over the rolls in the pot. Add enough hot water to just reach — but not exceed — the top of the rolls, and leave to cook through.
