Yabraq

Yabraq was something I grew up watching my mum and granny do… as kids, we were never allowed to roll grape leaves with them, but sometimes, if we were behaving extra good, we were allowed to take a leaf and filling and ‘pretend roll it’, meaning it never got into the pot after all – we were just made to believe it was! After many years, the table turned, and I find myself rolling grape leaves for hours as mum goes about doing her own household work… It all started when I insisted some time 2 years ago that I also roll grape leaves with mum.. and she happily (but worryingly) said yes.

As I started, the first leaf was ok the second one was good the third one said that I have the hang of it and the the fourth one was amazing. So were all the other 50+ leaves I rolled! We decided that day that it was some sort of a god-given talent if you could roll grape leaves like that… I won’t brag any further.. here’s the recipe below

Serves: 6 (as a main meal)

Ingredients:
450 g drained grape leaves (they come in those ~1kg jars full of the preserving liquid)
1 x batch of stuffing
1.5 L water (or enough to immerse the leaves by an inch)
lots of salt (about 3-4tbs – the taste should be apparent)
citric acid (2-3 tbs – taste should also be apparent), OR
juice of 2 lemons (or until taste is apparent)
Dipping sauce (a must!):
3 heaped tbs greek yoghurt
2 cloves garlic
2 tbs tahini
salt to taste

Method:
Having made all the mixture, place it to one side.
Start by placing all the grape leaves in a large bowl, and immersing them in warm water (not the water mentioned in the ingredients list above).
Take one leaf and place it before you, shiny side down.
Cut off the stem.

Credits: Fati’s recipes