Shared by Charles Dabah
Shared by Charles Dabah
Yebra (Stuffed Grape Leaves With Apricots)
Yield: 6 to 8 servingsTime: 2 h 30 min
Yebra (Stuffed Grape Leaves With Apricots)
Yield: 6 to 8 servingsTime: 2 h 30 minFamily Journey
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This recipe was shared by Charles Dabbah. Read more about his family in " A Grandmother’s Syrian Legacy Wrapped Up in Grape Leaves" and try his recipes for ou', kiftahs, and chicken with meshi sfeeha.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds ground beef
- ⅓ cup short grain rice, rinsed and drained
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground allspice
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 jar of grape leaves (about 36 leaves), rinsed and drained
- 12 dried apricots, preferably california apricots
- 6 to 8 garlic cloves
- 1 teaspoon dried mint
- 1 cup water
- ⅓ cup ou'
Preparation
Step 1
Make the filling: Combine ground beef, rice, allspice, salt, and water in a large mixing bowl. Mix until the ingredients are combined well.
Step 2
Roll and stuff grape leaves: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place one grape leaf on a cutting board or plate, vein side up. Place 1 heaping teaspoon of the meat mixture in the center of the leaf, near the stem edge. Roll the leaf end to end, starting from the stem edge. As you roll, keep tight pressure and fold the sides of the leaf toward the center. Depending on the size of your leaves, the rolled leaf should look like a small cigar 2 to 3 inches long. Transfer finished grape leaf to baking sheet, seam side down. Repeat this process with the remaining leaves and filling.
Step 3
Place the baking sheet into the freezer for 20 to 30 minutes until the grape leaves are firm. The freezing process helps prevent grape leaves from unraveling during the cooking process.
Step 4
In a 4 quart pot, arrange the filled grape leaves into one even layer. Make sure they are tightly pressed against one another. Evenly tuck half of the garlic cloves and apricots between the grape leaves.
Step 5
Repeat the process, creating a second layer of grape leaves on top of the first. Tuck the remaining garlic cloves and apricots between the grape leaves in the second layer. Sprinkle the dried mint evenly across the grape leaves.
Step 6
Mix the ou’ and water in a large measuring cup or bowl. Taste for balance between sweet and sour. If the mixture is not sweet enough, add 1 teaspoon of sugar and mix until dissolved. If the mixture is not sour enough, add 1 teaspoon of ou’.
Step 7
Pour the ou’ mixture into the pot until the grape leaves are covered about three-quarters of the way. Weigh down the grape leaves with a heat-proof plate or pot lid to prevent them from floating and unraveling. Bring the pot to a simmer over medium high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 2 ½ to 3 hours. Keep a close eye to make sure that there is liquid at the bottom of the pot. If more liquid is needed, make another batch of the ou’ and water mixture and add it into the pot.
Step 8
Once the yebra is cooked, there should remain about ¼ cup of liquid in the pot. Gently transfer the yebra and pan juices onto a shallow serving bowl.
Step 9
Serve hot.
