When you talk about Turkish cooking it’s necessary to look at both dolma (dole-MAH’) and sarma (SAR’-mah). Dolma means “stuffed thing” and sarma means ‘“wrapped thing.” These are general terms used for many varieties of vegetables and leaves stuffed with meat and rice fillings.
Dolma and sarma can be very time-intensive to prepare. Stuffed and wrapped vegetable dishes are common in many cuisines throughout Eastern Europe, the Mediterranean, and the Middle East. In Turkey, favorite vegetables for stuffing include zucchini, bell peppers, tomatoes, eggplants, and onions. For wrapping, the most popular are vine leaves, collard greens, Swiss chard, and cabbage.
In Turkish culture, food is central to every gathering: religious holidays, birthdays, celebrations, funerals, etc. So, probably like many other people, I love food. Not only the food itself, but also the time to taste the food with relatives and friends, and the process of sharing the food with words have fascinated me since I was very young.
Yaprak Sarma (or Dolma) is an authentic Turkish dish made with grape leaves stuffed with aromatic rice, fresh Mediterranean herbs and spices. It is one of the most popular dishes in Turkey, especially for special occasions or guests. You can serve these delicious bite-size appetizers as part of your mezze platter or as a main meal.
SARMA VS DOLMA
This dish is also popular in Mediterranean and Middle East countries. The ingredients and cooking methods of fillings are slightly different according to different regions. Some versions contain minced meat, while others are vegetarian. Both versions use rice and can be replaced by crushed and dried wheat. Some recipes do not pre cook rice fillings, while others saut é onions with rice and spices. Whatever the difference, the most important thing is to make the most rich grape leaves, which are soft and delicious.
In Turkish, Sarma means “something wrapped”, which is made by wrapping stuffing with leaves (usually grape leaves, cabbage leaves or beet leaves). The packaged Dolma, specifically, is also known as “Sarma”.
Dolma means “stuffing”, which is the general name of stuffing dishes in Ottoman cooking. It can be eaten cold or hot. Some Dolma are made from whole pieces of vegetables, fruits, offal or seafood.
Both dolma and Sarma may be made with the same filling. They are common in many cuisines in the Balkans, the Mediterranean and the Middle East. They can be eaten hot or cold unless there is meat in them.
Where can I have yaprak dolma?
If you want authentic yaprak dolma, go to Turkish restaurants where chefs are more experienced in cooking this dish. I recommend ziyade et lokantası restaurant. Unlike other restaurants, ziyade et uses fresh or pickled grape leaves. If you can find a restaurant that uses fresh leaves, I definitely recommend going to this place to try this dish. While using fresh leaves adds extra time and steps to the recipe, dolmas has a fresher taste. What’s more, the restaurant is clean and tidy with beautiful decoration, reasonable price and good staff service.
Brewed grape leaves with what dishes?
You can serve this delicious Turkish yaprak Sarma (Dolma) with refreshing mint yogurt sauce or a small amount of lemon juice. You can eat them hot or cold as appetizers, entrees, or partial sandwiches. Choose with other delicious Turkish sandwiches, such as haydari (Turkish yogurt dip sauce), simple and authentic hummus or barbunya (Turkish style borlotti beans).
