Sarma

Preparation

1. 01

   sweating over medium heat

   Finely chop the onions. Heat half the olive oil in a large frying pan and sauté the onions until softened and golden.

2. 02

   sweating over medium heat

   Add the pine nuts and sauté for 1–2 minutes, then add the washed rice. Stir and sauté for 2–3 minutes until the rice turns translucent.

3. 03

   Brief sauté

   Add the tomato purée and sauté for 1 minute. Add the currants, salt, black pepper, allspice and cinnamon. Remove from the heat and leave to cool.

4. 04

   Mixing

   Add the finely chopped dill, mint and parsley to the cooled filling and mix well. Squeeze in the juice of half a lemon.

5. 05

   Preparation

   Rinse the brined leaves under cold water to remove excess salt. Lay the leaves flat on a work surface, shiny side down. Trim the stems from each leaf with scissors.

6. 06

   Rolling

   Place approximately 1 tablespoon of filling along the wide edge of each leaf. Fold the sides inwards and roll up tightly. Take care not to roll them too tightly or too loosely.

7. 07

   Arranging

   Arrange the remaining lemon slices and leaf stems on the base of the saucepan. Pack the rolled leaves tightly side by side in a circular pattern.

8. 08

   Adding liquid

   Drizzle the remaining olive oil over the sarma. Add the hot water and lemon juice. Cover with a plate to prevent the sarma from coming apart.

9. 09

   cooking over low heat

   Cook over a low heat for 45–50 minutes. Continue cooking until the rice is tender. Remove from the heat and leave to cool in the saucepan.

10. 10

    serving

    Once the sarma has cooled completely, carefully remove from the saucepan. Serve garnished with lemon wedges and fresh dill.