Dolma — stuffed vegetables (from dolmak, to be filled) — is the most representative preparation of the Ottoman culinary tradition: peppers, eggplant, zucchini, tomatoes, grape leaves, chard leaves, mussels, and dozens of other vessels filled with spiced rice or spiced ground meat. The two major categories — zeytinyağlı (olive oil-based rice stuffing, served cold) and etli (meat-based stuffing, served hot) — follow different technique logics.
**The zeytinyağlı rice filling:** - Raw rice mixed with olive oil, finely chopped onion, tomato, pine nuts, currants, dried herbs (dill, mint, allspice, cinnamon) - The rice is added raw — it will cook inside the vegetable during braising, absorbing the vegetable's own moisture and the olive oil - This is a specific rice-cooking technique: the rice steams in the sealed vegetable rather than cooking in open water **The filling quantity:** - Never pack tightly — the rice expands during cooking. Fill to approximately 60–70% of the vessel's capacity **The braising:** - Zeytinyağlı dolma: arranged tightly in a heavy pot with a small amount of water and lemon juice, weighted with a plate (to prevent the dolma from opening during cooking), covered and braised on low heat until the rice is fully cooked (20–25 minutes) - The tight packing in the pot is structural — the dolma support each other and maintain their shape **Yaprak sarması (grape leaf rolls):** - Blanched grape leaves (fresh or preserved) spread flat, filled with the rice mixture, rolled tightly - The technique: fold the bottom of the leaf over the filling, fold the sides in, roll up tightly. A loose roll will open during cooking; a tight roll maintains its shape
The Turkish Cookbook