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A plate full or warak enab stuffed grape leaves on a platter garnished with lemon wedges
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Qatari Warak Enab

Qatari warak enab are little bundles of sweet lamb meat and millet, spiced perfectly.  They are fun to wrap up too!  Enjoy
Course Appetizer
Cuisine Qatari
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Servings 10
Calories 413kcal
Author Darlene at International Cuisine

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!

    Nutrition

    Calories: 413kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 47mg | Sodium: 373mg | Potassium: 213mg | Vitamin A: 40IU | Vitamin C: 0.3mg | Calcium: 31mg | Iron: 1.5mg