Lamb with tomato and sweet spices

What does it include?

Ingredients

• 30 ml olive oil
• 4 cm finely chopped ginger
• 2 cloves of garlic peeled and chopped
• 800 g peeled and chopped tomatoes
• 30 ml lemon juice
• 5 ml powdered sugar
• 50 vine leaves
• 1 large fennel bulb
• 400 g minced lamb
• 1 medium onion
• 1 small potato, peeled and coarsely grated
• 30 ml basmati rice
• 30 ml chopped parsley
• 30 ml chopped cilantro
• 15 ml lemon juice
• 2 cloves of garlic
• ½ teaspoon ground cloves
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 medium tomatoes

How to prepare it step by step?

Preparation

1. Use small, delicate pickled grape leaves, or cut the large ones to 12x12cm. Remove the stems, drain them, boil them for 10 minutes, and let them dry on a kitchen towel.
2. For the filling, mix the minced lamb, grated potato, chopped onion, basmati rice, parsley, cilantro, lemon juice, minced garlic, ground cloves, and cinnamon in a bowl.
3. Grate the medium tomatoes and add them to the bowl with half a teaspoon of salt and some black pepper. Mix well, squeeze gently to drain excess juice, and set aside in the refrigerator until used.
4. For the sauce, heat the olive oil in a frying pan, add the chopped ginger and garlic, and sauté for 1-2 minutes without burning. Add the peeled and chopped tomatoes, lemon juice, and powdered sugar, season, and cook over low heat for 20 minutes.
5. Line the base of a wide, heavy saucepan with torn grape leaves and 0.5cm slices of fennel, completely covering the bottom.
6. Place a prepared grape leaf on your work surface, veins facing up. Place 2 teaspoons of filling in the base, fold the sides over the filling, and roll it tightly from the bottom up into a cylinder.
7. Place the rolls in the pan in lines or circles, side by side, repeating until all the filling is gone.
8. Pour the tomato sauce over the rolls, adding water if necessary to cover them.
9. Cover with a lid and cook over low heat for 45-60 minutes, until the rolls are cooked and the flavors are well integrated.
10. Serve hot accompanied by basmati rice with butter and pine nuts or couscous, decorating with fresh cilantro leaves if you wish.