Cold grape leave dolmas (vegetarian)

This is a delicious appetizer that we like to serve next to Ramadan iftar, it is not a Yemeni tradition, it is just our family tradition that we just started.

I never really found a dolma recipe that I liked. After much trial and error, I decided to make my own recipe knowing what works and what doesn't work about the recipes that I have tried before. For example, a lot of recipes don't ask for garlic or something sour for the filling. So my recipe has the garlic and the tomato paste to give those necessary flavors. Also the rolling and cooking process has always never worked for me until now. One recipe asked for only 1 cup water and an another recipe asked for too much water, so you can imagine one came out barely cooked and dried and the other came out barely cooked and watery. Another important thing is to put a heaping tablespoon of the filling in each leaf. My friend gave me bad advice, telling me that since rice expands there is need for only 1 teaspoon of filling. That didn't work out as I ended up with half-empty rolls. But hopefully this is the only recipe that you will need whenever you have a hankering for dolmas.

Filling:
3 3/4 cups long-grain rice (like Uncle Ben's)
1 1/2 cup fresh mint, rinsed and chopped
1 1/2 cup fresh parsley, rinsed and chopped
1 large onion, minced
3 medium tomatoes, finely diced
5 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
5 Tbsp. tomato paste
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 Tbsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
2 Tbsp dried spearmint
3 Tbsp olive oil

Wash rice and soak for 30 minutes. Meanwhile mix the rest of the filling ingredients.
Set a pot half-filled with water to boil. Sort out the unusable leaves, blanch them in the boiling water, and then place on bottom of the pot you plan to cook the dolmas in. Then place the rest of the leaves in the boiling water, and boil for 30 seconds, carefully separating them with tongs so water can enter between them. Drain leaves well.

After the rice finished soaking, drain very well and add to the filling mixture. Mix well.

Rolling dolmas:

Cut off the the stem of the leaf. Place glossy side down on a plate. Place a tablespoon of the filling on the bottom half. Don't be afraid to put a lot, we want it packed. Than fold the sides diagonally towards the center over the filling, repeat this again and then sides horizontally, then proceed to tightly roll the lump with the filling upwards. Place in pan and proceed to the next leaf.
Step-by-step photo instructions are available at Greek Recipes with May Lerios: Dolmadakia or Dolmades

When finished with the grape leaves, mix

1/4 cup of olive oil
juice of 2 lemons
1 tsp salt
1 cup water

and pour of dolmas. Then pour enough water to barely reach the top of the dolmas. Place a heavy plate that is smaller than the pan so that it fits directly on top of the dolmas, then place a heavy weight. I used my heavy brass mortar. Bring to boil on medium heat and then lower heat to low. Cook for 1 hour or when more than half of the water is gone. Check if cooked, leaf should break apart easily. If not add about 1/2 cup water that is flavored with salt and lemon juice. Cook for up to 2 1/2 hours, replenishing juice when needed, 1/2 cup at a time. Let dolmas sit in juice and cool. Store in tupperware and refrigerate. Dolmas are best the next day.

Stuffed potato appetizer

This is another appetizer we serve next to iftar usually in place of Ramadan. It is a common recipe, though this one is different because the potato mix is seasoned.

Beef filling (recipe below)
7 potatoes, peeled and cubed
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp curry
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp pepper
2 eggs, stirred
1 egg white, stirred until frothy
bread crumbs

Boil potatoes until cooked and soft. Drain water and mash until smooth. Add spices and salt, mix. Add the 2 eggs and mix well. Place a thick layer of breadcrumbs on a plate, and place the egg white in a wide bowl. Take some of the potato mix, form into a round in your hand. Place a tsp of the beef filling on center of the round, and then close off the ball, using more potato if needed. If necessary use flour on your hands to avoid stickiness when forming the balls. When finished, roll the balls in the egg white and then in the breadcrumbs. Deep fry in hot oil until all sides are brown.

Beef filling:
2 tsp oil
1/2 onion, finely diced
1/2 lb. ground beef
1/2 cup parsley minced
1/4 tsp curry
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 salt

Heat oil and saute onions until light brown. Add beef, break down and cook until no longer pink. Drain fat. Add parsley, spices and salt and mix, cook for 1 minute. Cool.

A Yemeni Ramadan, plus Samboosa recipe (Yemeni roll)

The foods that we serve for breaking the fast in Ramadan for our family, and we are Yemenis living in the U.S., may be considered simplistic to a nonMuslim but to other Muslims it may seem too extravagant.

I was watching Yemeni television yesterday, one of the actors played a Pakistani and the other was Yemeni. The Pakistani man visited the Yemeni man to break the fast together. The Yemeni came out with a serving plate loaded with different dishes including rice, chicken and vegetable stew. The Pakistani man was stunned. The Pakistani man explained to him that it is Islamic tradition to break the fast with just dates and then pray. Yemeni accommodated his Pakistani friend, and they went to the masjid with just the dates and prayed. Afterwards when they were back home, the Yemeni man brought out even more food for what is to be their dinner. The Yemeni man chowed down despite his friend's plea. The Pakistan man became exasperated and admonished for him for being so gluttonous. I thought it was hilarious because it hit home.

My family and many others usually serve more than we can eat and don't follow the tradition of praying before eating a meal. In the month we are ordained to abstain from food, but we eat more. The purpose of the fast is that we sense the hunger of those who usually go without food because they cannot afford it. Remember, the purpose of Ramadan is not to enjoy special dishes, it is to focus ondeen. Read the Quran and pray the Taraweeh each day. What I do is I read five pages of the Quran before or after each prayer so that I would have read 25 pages a day. At this rate I will be finished with the Quran in less than 25 days. It is quite easy.

Does this mean we should stop making our special dishes? No, eat from what Allah gave us and be thankful. Make the dishes but don't make to much and force yourself to eat more because your cravings tell you. Especially don't make everything at once!

Now I bring you recipe that we serve with futoor. It is a Yemeni version of an appetizer that is made all over the Middle East and in South Asia.


Samboosa is like an eggroll but it is stuffed with cooked ground beef and vegetables that are spiced with common Middle Eastern spices. Of course, every person has their own variation and then I tend to make the samboosa different each time. It depends on what spices and vegetables I have on hand.

1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
1 lb ground beef
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp chicken bouillon
1 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. garam masala
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1 tbsp. tomato paste
1 tsp red pepper paste
1 cup peeled and diced potato
2 cups cabbage, chopped
1 cup lentils, boiled in water until cooked, drained
1 zucchini, shredded
1/2 cup parsley, chopped
Tortillas or Egg roll wrappers

Heat the oil in a large sauce pan, add the onion and saute until golden brown on medium high. Add the ground beef, then with a wooden spoon break down the ground beef and cook until there is no pink left. Add the minced garlic, all the spices, as well as the tomato paste and red pepper paste. Stir and allow to cook for 1 minute. Then add the potatoes, stir, and cook for 2 minutes. Add the cabbage, stir and cook 2 minutes. Add the lentils cook 2 minutes. Add the zucchini and allow to cook for 5 minutes. Add the parsley, cook for 1 minute and turn off heat. Let themixture cool.

If using tortillas, heat the tortillas in a microwave for 30 seconds or until warm. This will make the tortillas pliable. Cut each tortilla or egg roll wrapper in 2 to 3 long strips (2 inch wide). Place some of the filling on one end. Using a flour-water paste to wet edges, fold diagonally repeatedly until you form a triangular roll.

Pour oil in vegetable pan, 1/2 inch deep. Heat on medium high. Place enough samboosa to fill the pan and fry until brown, flip and fry on other side. Place samboosa on a paper towel to drained Serve hot.

Unfried samboosa can be stored in freezer burn-proof ziplock bags and placed in the freezer. To thaw, let it sit at room temperature for a few hours before frying.

Fatayer (Middle Eastern mini pizzas)

This recipe is a Yemeni twist of a popular food in the Mediterranean and Gulf Arab countries. I got this recipe from a friend. I put less cheese on mine though, and I used a blend of different cheeses this time. While I don't have the recipe for the dough ready, any pizza dough recipe would work fine. But I will write up the recipe next time I make the dough, so keep a look out for that.

Prepared pizza dough (let rise)

Filling:
2 Tablespoon oil
2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
1 pound ground beef
1/2 tsp curry, or more
1/2 tsp cumin, or more
1/8 tsp black pepper, or more
1/2 tsp salt or more
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1/2 medium tomato, chopped
Shredded cheese preferably mozzarella

Heat oil in saucepan on high heat. Saute potatoes in oil until browned and cooked. Add meat and brown, pour out any excess oil (usually the potatoes absorb the oil so there won't be much). Add seasonings and stir. Adjust flavors and remove from heat.


Preheat oven at 500 F. Cut risen dough onto floured surface into golf ball size. Let rest for 5 min, then pat down each one and place each on ungreased baking sheets. Make several pricks with a fork. Bake each sheet of dough rounds in a preheated oven for 3 min or until half cooked (not browned). Place filling on top of each bread round. Place some of the raw chopped onions and tomatoes. Finally top with cheese. Place back in the over and bake until edges are golden brown and cheese is melted. Serve with hummus or sour cream