My Gradmother's Famous Stuffed Grape Leaves

As a 5 years old I would stand on a stool to watch my grandmother cook. I've always loved cooking with her and even more eating her delicious food. 

She loved the kitchen and everything in it, and it was her way of gathering the family and feeling valued and strong.

This recipe is a traditional Iraqi dish she made often.

I dedicate this tutorial to her, my beloved Neomi, wherever you may be I love you and miss you deeply.

For the stuffing:

1 package dill

1 package parsley

1 package mint

1 package scallion

2 onions

1 package grape leaves

3 cups persian rice 

1 tomato

1 garlic

For the sauce:

2 tablespoons soup powder 

1 tablespoon salt

1 teaspoon paper

2 tablespoons sunflower oil

Chop the dill, parsley, scallion and onions and put in a bowl. 

Add the rice, salt, paper, soup powder, lemon, oil and mix.

Gently separate the leaves and place them on a large flat plate.

Hold a leaf with the bold part facing up.

Take 1 tablespoon of filling from the juicy bottom of the bowl and place it in the middle of the leaf.

Fold the leaf as you can see in the video - first fold the sides, then the bottom and finally the top.

Place the folded leaves closely in the pot.

Place a roughly sliced tomato, peeled garlic and some mind leaves over the stuffings.

Cover it with a medium size plate.

Put the pot on high heat until it boils (about fifteen minutes) and then put it on low heat for an hour.

Eat and enjoy! :)