Qatari warak enab are little bundles of stuffed grape leaves. These are popular in many places of the world and Qatar is no exception. I made these little savory bites with sweet lamb and millet. They are fun to make and perfect to get the kids involved to wrap them up.
There are so many variations for stuffed grape leaves. You can make them with just about any grain or rice, whatever types of meat you like and spices. They also are often made vegetarian like we made for our Armenian meal. You can simply use this recipe as a guide and you really can't go wrong.
You can find grape leaves in a jar at most stores usually in the pickle section or you can pick some up here. Please note that they need to be thoroughly rinsed before using them. Additionally, they are wild grape leaves not the type you find at your local grape vineyard. So if you happen to grow your own grapes you would not want to use those leaves.
This Qatari warak enab recipe is completely plant paradox compliant as it is made with grass fed lamb and millet.
If you want to make an authentic dipping sauce just mix together a little fresh minced garlic with a dash of ground cumin and mix with yogurt and serve with the Qatari warak enab.
If you would like to learn more about this little wealthy nation of Qatar be sure to check out "Our Journey to Qatar".
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Qatari Warak Enab
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 1 jar grape leaves about 60-70 in brine
- 1 lb ground lamb
- 2 cups millet or rice
- 2 tbsp olive oil divided
- 1 tsp salt divided
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp Allspice seasoning
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- Juice of 2 large lemons
Instructions
Instructions
Grape Leaves Preparation
- Drain grape vine leaves and soak them in a large bowl of water.
- Gently separate and wash the leaves, stack them on a plate and set them aside. You can cover them with a damp cloth so they don't dry out.
Stuffing Preparation
- Cook ground lamb with 1 tbsp olive oil and ½ tsp of salt and drain out the fat
- Add millet or rice to the ground lamb along with the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil and ½ tsp of salt, AllSpice seasoning, cinnamon and black pepper, and mix well.
- To stuff and roll the grape leaves, lay a grape leaf flat on a cutting board, scoop out a heaping teaspoon of the mixture into the center of the grape leaf, and carefully fold in the sides and roll it like you would when making a wrap.
- The trick is to roll it tightly enough so that it doesn't unravel while cooking, but not too tightly since the millet or rice needs room to expand as it cooks.
Wrapping them up!
- Place all the wrapped grape leaves in a tray.
- Line the bottom of a large pot with tomatoes and/or potatoes and season with salt/pepper to taste,
- Neatly arrange the stuffed and rolled grape leaves in rows, alternating directions, to completely cover the circumference of the pot. Drizzle each layer with olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Place small round plate on top of grape leaves in the pot to hold them down and prevent floating while they are cooking.
- Add enough boiling water to completely cover the grape leaves and the plate, then cover the pot and cook on Medium heat for 30 minutes, until most of the water is absorbed and the rice is cooked.
- Add the lemon juice on top of the grape leaves, then cook on low heat for an additional 45 minutes.
- Remove from heat and let cool uncovered.
- Transfer to a dish, garnish with lemon slices and enjoy warm!
