Yalanji (Vegetarian Stuffed Grape Leaves)
Today I’m sharing The Best Yalanji, or Syrian vegetarian stuffed grape leaves, which is my favorite of the stuffed varieties. The word “Yalanji” means “counterfeit or “fake in Turkish.” Vegetarian versions often carry this meaning when translated. I’ll tell you, there’s nothing “fake” about this recipe. It’s delicious, veggie and herb-packed, tangy, and oh-so-addicting.
There are 2 reasons why this dish is so special compared to others and truly the best. First, my family puts a little bit of ground Turkish coffee, which really balances the tanginess and slight sweetness from the pomegranate molasses. Second, unlike other mahashi or stuffed vegetables, these sit in the boiling liquid overnight and are stored in the same liquid, ensuring that they stay super moist and flavorful.
I know, storing it in the liquid goes against all mahashi (stuffed vegetables) rules. But trust me, in this recipe, it works! And it yields such a perfect tenderness and balanced flavor.
Wrapping these can be a bit tricky, since the rice mixture doesn’t bind as well as the meat mahashi stuffing. An exclusive rice filling also expands more, meaning the rolls are more at risk of falling apart while cooking. Lucky for you, I’ve included some troubleshooting tips and a video that will help, whether you’ve made these 1 or 100 times.
Ingredients
Grape Leaves — Since fresh grape leaves are less readily available, I like to use jarred. Each country has its favored brand. In the US, Orlando is fairly reliable. In the UAE, I like to use California grape leaves, but I’m still searching for a favorite brand.
Onions — Finely chopped yellow or brown onions are lightly caramelized, adding a nice sweetness to the filling. You can cook them ahead of time. Since lightly caramelized onions are used in most Syrian dishes, I like to make a big batch at the beginning of the week and store them in the fridge or freezer.
Olive Oil — You’re going to use a decent amount of olive oil, which adds healthy fat, and also keeps the grape leaves moist. You’ll cook the onions in the olive oil, and you’ll also add some to the sauce when cooking.
Rice — Any medium grain rice will work great here, including Calrose, Egyptian, or Jasmine. These are sometimes referred to as short grain as well. Rinse the rice by placing it in a bowl, adding water, and swishing it around. Drain and repeat until the water runs clear.
Pomegranate Molasses — Good quality pomegranate molasses should be tangy, somewhat sweet, and with no bitter notes. It’s made from reduced fresh pomegranate juice, but many brands will add stabilizers and balance the flavor with added sweeteners and salt. If you want the pure stuff, I get mine in Sharjah from Bait al Moonah al Halabi.
Tomatoes — Finely chopped tomatoes add a really nice flavor to the filling.
Mint — These also make the grape leaves really delicious and herby.
Aleppo/Turkish Pepper Paste — Aleppo/Turkish pepper paste is probably my most used pantry ingredient. I buy a huge amount of it and store it in the freezer. Aleppo or Turkish peppers are slender, long red peppers that vary in spice level and are grown in Northern Syria or Southern Turkey. At the end of their harvest season, they’re picked, dried in the sun, and pounded into a paste with salt to be used throughout the year. In the US, Sera is an acceptable brand. In the UAE, I also get mine at Bait al Moonah al Halabi.
Tomato Paste — Tomato paste helps amp up that tomato flavor.
Turkish Coffee — I mentioned this ingredient above. Just half a teaspoon adds an amazing complexity and pairs so well with the pomegranate molasses and other ingredients.
Sugar — Just like the Turkish coffee, a wee bit balances out the other flavor components.
Lemon Juice — At the end of the cooking process, add a bit of lemon juice to the liquid, which gets absorbed into the grape leaves as it sits.
Salt — Salt helps enhance the flavor and make everything taste like it should. You will need to adjust based on which type of salt you’re using, whether it’s table salt, sea salt, or kosher salt. Table salt is saltier than the other 2. Add salt to the filling, taste, and see if you need a bit more. Yes, taste with the raw rice. It’s a bit annoying, but you’ll be able to tell. Also add salt to the cooking liquid.
Potatoes — Line the bottom of the pot with peeled potatoes so the grape leaves don’t burn. Technically, these aren’t for serving, but they’re so taste, I love to snack on them when the grape leaves are finished cooking.
Method
It took me a few tries to get this right. It’s definitely worth the effort, because no other restaurant grape leaves even come close, and once it’s finished, it’s so satisfying. Here’s the general method, along with some quick tips down below.
First, you need to prep the grape leaves. If you’re using jarred, remove them, rinse, and soak for 2-3 hours in boiling water, changing the water about every hour.
Then, cook the onions in copious amounts of olive oil until they’re a light golden. They’ll be soft and somewhat sweet. Then, combine with the rest of the filling ingredients in a large bowl. Taste and adjust seasoning.
To wrap the grape leaves, set up your station with a bowl of filling and a pile of grape leaves. Start with the largest ones. You’ll notice that the grape leaves have a shiny side and a dull side. Lay it shiny side down so it faces out. If your leaf has any openings at all, cover it by cutting a smaller piece of grape leaf and laying it on top. You may need to take a whole leaf and angle it if there’s a lot of openings (watch the video to see what I mean).
Take about 2-3 teaspoons of filling and place it in a pile on the bottom third of the grape leaf. The amount of filling really depends on the size of the grape leaf. You’ll need to be able to wrap it tightly at least twice around. It may take some trial and error, but you’ll get it right. Place them in a pile or line them up on a tray.
Make sure you leave a few pieces unwrapped, because you’ll need to cover the potatoes with them. Line the bottom of a tall, large stockpot with sliced potatoes. Cover them with the reserved unwrapped grape leaves. In concentric circles, starting from the outside, lay your grape leaves tightly packed together, seam side down.
Top with a heavy weight or plate. Cover with water by about 2 inches, add 1 tsp of salt, bring to a boil on high, reduce to low, and simmer for about 2.5 hours, continuing to add water as needed. You might see some rice floating around, but don’t worry, some rice might escape, and that’s okay.
Turn off heat, add lemon juice and more olive oil. When weight or plate is cool enough to handle, remove. Cover and allow it to sit in the cooking liquid overnight.
The next day, remove the grape leaves and place them in a container. If storing, cover them with some of the cooking liquid.
Can be made up to 3-5 days ahead of time. They get more delicious as they sit.
Tips and Tricks
When rolling, make sure you wrap tightly, at least twice around, and reserve with the seam side down.
Cover the holes of the grape leaves with other grape leaves so the filling doesn’t escape.
Choose a tall stockpot so you can cover with lots of water and not worry about it bubbling over.
Make sure the weight or plate fits in the pot before filling it.
If you see rice floating around, don’t worry. Some rice might escape.
Simmer for 2.5 hours and allow the grape leaves to sit in the cooking liquid overnight.
Store it in an airtight container with liquid. These get better sitting in the fridge for a couple of days.
If you’ve found that some of your grape leaves have opened up, don’t fret, we’ve all been there. There’s no salvaging them, but it means that you didn’t wrap them tightly enough, or you put too much filling. You’ll know for next time.
I hope you give this recipe a try! If you do, don’t forget to put it in the comments so everyone knows how it worked out. I also love to see your creations! You can tag me on social media at #omayahcooks, @omayah.atassi on Instagram, @omayah on Pinterest, and @omayahatassiphoto on Facebook.
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*This post was originally publish on April 18, 2019 and was updated on January 18, 2022 with the description and recipe
This is part of a vegan series. Other recipes in this series:
Meat-Free Moussaka
Vegan Kibbeh with Swiss Chards
Kibbet Hileh (Vegan Kibbeh with Caramelized Onions) + A Dedication to My Teta
Red Bulgur Pilaf with Eggplant and Chickpeas
Syrian Zucchini and Tomato Bulgur Pilaf