Vine leaves for dolma for the winter

Dolma is one of the most popular dishes of the peoples of Central Asia and Transcaucasia. However, thanks to its delicious original taste and at the same time simple cooking it takes a worthy place in our kitchen. The principle of this dish is similar to our cabbage rolls , but as a basis instead of cabbage grape leaves are taken, and there are some differences in the selection of spices, the preparation and serving.

Ideal option for Dolma, of course, are fresh young grape leaves, the size of a palm. But the period of their youth is limited and therefore the leaves are torn off and harvested for future use in early summer, so that they can be used all year round for cooking their favorite dish.

There are many ways of such preparation. We will describe them in detail in our article.

Harvesting of vine leaves for the winter for dolma

Leaves for dolma can be either marinated or kept fresh. To do this, freshly cut sheets thoroughly washed, laid out on a clean towel and give a good dry out. They should not have a single drop of moisture, it is very important for an ideal preservation. Then lay the leaves on top of each other with a pile of ten pieces and turn them into a tight roll. Then wrap the roll with food film and place it in the freezer for storage.

If the volumes of your freezer do not allow you to do large-scale workpieces, then the folded leaves can be packed in glass jars very tightly, rolled up and sterilized in the oven for twenty minutes.

Some experienced housewives use another simple and very efficient way of storing grape leaves. Prepared dense rolls are placed in plastic half-liter bottles. Each will include about five bundles of one sheet each. Then compress the container to maximize the removal of air and tighten the stopper. Thus, the leaves stay fresh for a long time. This is possible, of course, provided that their surface is well dried from moisture residues, otherwise they may become moldy.

How to pickle the grape leaves for dolma?

Vine leaves for dolma can also be marinated. To do this, fresh young leaves are washed well, put in a deep bowl, pour hot water and immediately drain it. Slightly softened blanching leaves are assembled in several pieces and folded with rolls or envelopes. Then we lay the bundles tightly in a prepared clean sterile jar and fill it with a hot marinade. For its preparation, heat the water to boiling, add three or four peas of sweet-scented pepper, half a teaspoon of mustard powder and a teaspoon of salt. This is a calculation for a one-liter jar of grape leaves. Be sure to make sure that the brine fills all the voids between the leaves in the jar. Then we tighten the containers with boiled sterile lids and determine for storage in the pantry to other billets.

How to salt and store grape leaves for dolma?

The grape leaves are perfectly preserved in a simple saline solution. For this workpiece, we cut off the young grape leaves along with the cuttings, wash them well, add together ten pieces and bind it with a clean thread. We put the bundles in a clean jar and fill them with simple saline solution. For its preparation we dissolve in cold water such quantity of not iodized salt that the crude egg floated on a surface. The leaves must be completely covered with salted liquid, therefore during storage it is necessary to pour it on as it is soaked in leaves and lowering the level of brine. Jars with such a blank are covered with nylon lids and determined for storage in a cool place.

Correctly salted grape leaves can be stored for several years, and before cooking they must be soaked in clean water.