You will need a wide pot with a fitted lid – if the lid has a steam vent, I roll up a small piece of greaseproof paper to block it, so that the steam collects in the pot when it’s simmering.
You can stuff courgettes, tomatoes, peppers or cabbage or swiss chard leaves using this recipe, or use some of each vegetable – see pictures below.

INGREDIENTS LIST:

▢ 4 courgettes
▢ 1 large onion – finely chopped
▢ optional: two large onions, in thickly sliced rings, for the bottom of the pot
▢ 200gr beef mince
▢ Half cup rice
▢ 1 bunch flat leaf parsley – finely chopped (keep stalks for bottom of the pot)
▢ 1 bunch dill – finely chopped (keep stalks for bottom of the pot)
▢ 1tsp tomato puree
▢ 1 tsp salt
▢ ½ tsp black pepper
▢ pinch of chilli flakes (to taste)
▢ pinch of cumin (to taste)

Sauce ingredients
▢ 1½ cups hot water
▢ ½ tbsp tomato puree
▢ 1 fresh tomato – finely chopped
▢ Two cloves of garlic – finely chopped
▢ 4 tbsp olive oil
▢ ½ tsp salt
▢ Chilli flakes to taste

COOKING METHOD:
Prep the rice and the courgettes
1. Soak the rice in some salted boiled water for half an hour, then drain
2. Chop the courgettes in halves, hollow out the insides, scrape the skins and soak them in salted boiling water for 15 minutes, then drain
3. Chop up the bits that come out of the courgettes and place at the bottom of the pot, along with the stalks of the parsley and dill. If you like, add some extra sliced onions to the bottom of the pan too. This keeps the dolma from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
Prepare the stuffing:
1. Put the drained rice, mince, chopped onion, chopped parsley and dill, olive oil, tomato puree, salt, pepper, chilli and cumin into a large bowl and mix well
2. Stuff the courgette halves with the filling and arrange them on the bottom of your pot – they should be full but not overstuffed as the rice will expand
3. Make small round meatballs with any leftover filling and place them around and on top of the dolma
Make the sauce and cook
1. Add all sauce ingredients to the boiled water and mix well
2. Pour the sauce over the courgettes in the pot
3. Cover with lid, bring to the boil then reduce to a simmer
4. Cook for about 45 minutes – or until the rice is cooked – taste bits of the filling to make sure there is the rice has no crunch left

Serve with garlic yogurt (yogurt with salt, olive oil and crushed garlic).