Yaprak Dökümü 67
Brayan Jacobsen
Yaprak Sarma is a Turkish dish of meat wrapped in grape leaves. Sarmak is Turkish for to roll or to wrap, and yaprak means leaf. Sarma are sometimes also called dolma (from dolmak, to fill or to stuff), but strictly speaking that applies to stuffed vegetables.
The best is to use fresh grape leaves. They need to be blanched (boiled briefly and then refreshed in ice water) to soften them up before using. After blanching they can be frozen, which is what iğdem had done after the picking the leaves from her garden in Turkey. She eyeballs all the quantities, but I have done my best to take note of what she did. You could also use lamb, other herbs (like dill or mint), or just rice (instead of rice and bulgur), but this the recipe as she taught it to me.
Add 100 grams rice and 100 grams bulgur, both rinsed and drained, 2 tablespoons tomato paste, 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, 2 Tbsp minced fresh flat leaf parsley, and 3 cloves garlic, finely minced.
All the ingredients should be well mixed, but the the meat should retain a loose texture rather than being kneaded. It should also be quite moist. These two points are crucial for making succulent sarma.
Place some of the meat mixture shaped as a finger on the leaf. The amount of meat will depend on the size of the leaf, so the sarma will have different sizes. Do not pack the meat tightly, it should retain a loose texture. It should be right where the stem used to be, with some flaps to wrap around on both sides. In other words, do not use too much filling.
Fold the flaps from the sides and the bottom, and then roll up the leaf tightly. The bundle should be so tight that it does not fall apart when you pick it up, and you should not be able to see any meat.
They are better the next day. Allow to cool and store in the refrigerator, making sure to keep the cooking liquid as well. Heat them up in the microwave with some of the cooking liquid to keep them moist.
During my first ever holiday in Turkey, yaprak sarma was the first real Turkish dish that I tried. I still remember that very well. Together with my parents and sister I was making a road trip through Turkey and after a long day of traveling and looking for a hotel we found a very cute little hotel in a village.
The hotel was ran by a family and nobody spoke a word of English. They were super kind and helpful though. Every evening the family cooked dinner for their guests and we decided to join the dinner the first evening.
Will you let me know if you have made this recipe? I would love it if you would let me know what you think about the recipe by leaving a comment and a rating below. You can also share your creations with me by tagging me on Instagram @karlijnskitchen or by using the hashtag #karlijnskitchen.
How you eat your Dner is, of course, up to you, but I encourage you to consider stepping outside your regular Dner habits. Why not skip the sauces next time? And why not skip the salad another time? Consider eating the Dner as it was meant to be eaten, with a full focus on the quality of the meat and without any distractions.
This list is a guide to the very best Dner restaurants in Berlin, from Neuklln to Wedding and Charlottenburg to Friedrichshain. As always with a BFS top list, there is no ranking between the places on the list. They are all great in their own ways and you have to read the descriptions for the nitty gritty details. Go forth, eat kebaps and hold your local dner joint accountable in terms of quality. But do remember: the strongest mechanism towards a better Dner culture is your willingness to pay just as much for your Dner as you pay for your gourmet burger.
Venture into the cosy quarters North West of Hackescher Markt for a visit to K.W.A. (Kebap with Attitude) and their contemporary interpretation of a Berlin Dner shop. Step into an energetic atmosphere where the sizzling sounds of grilled meats on the rotating spits and techno (this is in the bathroom) captivate your senses. Indulge in a Berlin kebap experience like no other as you savor their signature creations, featuring free range meat, vibrant vegetables, and bold, house-made sauces that elevate each bite to new heights of deliciousness. With its unique attitude, and a commitment to quality, K.W.A. is a unique opportunity to experience the iconic Berlin version of the Dner in a cool, modern dining setup-
The Wedding institution that started grilling meats in 1997. Pamfilya is a full fledged grill house, famous for their general meat quality and, specifically, their Dner Kebap. The meat is Yaprak Veal, where relatively thick slices of light veal are stacked per hand to a skewer every day. The chunky meat and the high fat content create a lot of crispy edges and beautiful texture, along with the light seasoning this is hands down one of the best Dner meats in the whole city.
Pamfilya is an iconic Turkish grill in Berlin's Wedding district, situated at Leopoldplatz. The cozy and welcoming atmosphere, combined with its traditional, Turkish cuisine, makes it a perfect spot for a lunch or a cozy dinner with friends. The menu offers a variety of traditional Turkish dishes, such as mezze plates, skewer kebaps, dner kebap and mantı. One of the standout dishes is the "Adana Kebab," a spicy minced lamb meat skewer grilled to perfection over an open fire pit, but the number one reason to come here is the hand-stacked yaprak veal dner kebap. Owner Fikri Arslan puts a lot of emphasis on quality and the lean dner meat at Pamfilya is unique and by many regarded as the best quality veal dner in Berlin.
The pro move here is to order a plate of dner meat only, ask for a plate of freshly baked lavash bread and then eat the meat in small pieces of flatbread like a taco with onions, a squeeze of lemon and chili flakes only.
The idea of yaprak sarma is derived from dolmas, a variety of stuffed delicacies prominent in the Ottoman cuisines. Dolmas were first made in the Alexander the Great era by the Greeks and Turks after soldiers returned from Thebes with cabbage leaves and stuffed vines. They were later stuffed with veggies and rice to give birth to the recipe.
Yaprak sarma can be found in many other cuisines around the world. In Moldova and Romania, sarma is called sarmale and is usually made from pork, onions, rice, eggs, dill, and thyme rolled in a cabbage leaf. The Serbians have a vegan version that uses cabbage leaves and is often enjoyed during Lent observance.
The Balkans and Croatians also have their variant of the same dish, which they call sarma and is composed of minced meat rolled in sour cabbage leaves. In Hungary, it is called toltott kaposzta which means stuffed cabbage. Interestingly, in some states, they are known as little pigeons. This is the case with Poland [Gołąbki], Russia [Golubtsy], Ukraine [Holubtsi] and the Czech Republic and Slovakia Holubky.
Yaprak sarma recipe is not only a popular Mediterranean cuisine; it has grown in popularity to become a favourite delicacy around the world. The Iranian variety is called dolme barg mo, yarpaq dolmas in Azerbaijan, and derevi sarma in Armenia. The preparation process can be a little involving, but the rewarding taste and flavour are worth giving it your all.
Add the rice, which you have previously washed and drained, and pour over 150 ml of water. Simmer over low heat until water begins to evaporate. Now add pine nuts, black currants, mint, parsley, dill, salt, and black pepper and all simmer for a few minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
While the stuffing is cooling, prepare the leaves by washing them well in cold water. Separate the thicker and larger pieces of leaves and cover the bottom of the larger pot in which you will cook the sarma.
Arrange the sarma in a pot next to each other. To avoid opening, cover them with the rest of the leaves. Add one lemon sliced, pour over two tablespoons of olive oil and pour boiling water over everything so that the sarma is topped with water. Put on low heat to cook for 40-45 minutes.
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