Fasting Dolma Recipe

Pour the rice with about 1.5 cups of water, bring to a boil, and simmer over a covered low heat for about 8 to 10 minutes, or until all the liquid is dry. The rice should be slightly dense, allow it to cool.

While the rice is cooking, prepare the vegetables. Peel the onion and cut it into fine cubes. Wash the carrots, peel and grate them on a fine grater. Heat a large frying pan with 2 tbsp. vegetable oil. Place the chopped onion in the pan and fry over medium heat until golden brown, stirring constantly, 4 minutes. Add the grated carrots and fry for another 4 minutes. Toss the vegetables with the root, paprika and ground coriander.

Peel the mushrooms and cut them into small cubes or thin slices. Add the mushrooms to the pan with the onions and carrots, stir and fry for another 5 minutes. Finely chop the cabbage, place the cabbage in a vegetable pan and fry with occasional stirring for about 7 minutes, until the cabbage is tender.

Season the contents of the pan with freshly ground black pepper and salt to taste. Remove from heat. Add the cooked rice, mix everything well and taste. Add salt and spices as needed.

When the mass of rice and vegetables has cooled enough, start preparing the tolma. Pour water into one bowl, dip flour in the other. Soak your hands with water, take a handful of minced meat and make an elongated tolma. Stir in the flour and stack it on a board. This is how prepare the whole mass.

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Take a mold of a suitable size, grease with vegetable oil and put the tolmas. Mix the tomato paste with water, add sugar, pepper and salt. Pour this sauce over the tolmas. Peel the garlic and put the cloves between the tolmas. Also put the bay leaf slices. Cover the mold with foil and put it in the preheated oven. After about 20 minutes, remove the foil and bake the fasting tolma for another 10-15 minutes.