Stuffed Dried Vegetables

Stuffed Dried Vegetables is a delicious dish, especially from Gaziantep and Southeastern Anatolian cuisine. It can be prepared using dried eggplants, peppers, or zucchini. Stuffed with a spicy and flavorful filling, kuru dolma pairs perfectly with yogurt when served.

In this recipe, you will find the ingredients and step-by-step instructions you need to make perfectly textured and delicious kuru dolma.

Ingredients

For the Stuffed Vegetables:

• 15 dried eggplants
• 10 dried peppers
• 10 dried zucchini (optional)

For the Filling:

• 1 cup rice
• ½ cup bulgur
• 200 grams medium-fat ground meat
• 1 large dry onion (finely chopped)
• 2 cloves garlic (minced)
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon pepper paste
• 1 tea glass olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 teaspoon sumac (optional)
• ½ tea glass water (to soften the filling)

For Cooking:

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon pomegranate molasses
• 2 cups hot water

How to Make Kuru Dolma?

1. Boil the dried eggplants, peppers, and zucchini in boiling water for 10-15 minutes, then drain and let cool.
2. Rinse the rice and bulgur, then drain.
3. In a large bowl, mix the ground meat, onion, garlic, rice, bulgur, pastes, spices, olive oil, and water to prepare the filling.
4. Stuff the boiled dried vegetables with the filling, being careful not to pack too tightly, and gently close the openings.
5. Arrange the stuffed vegetables upright in a pot.
6. In a separate bowl, mix olive oil, tomato paste, pomegranate molasses, and hot water to prepare the sauce.
7. Pour the sauce over the stuffed vegetables.
8. Cover the pot with a plate and cook over medium heat until boiling, then reduce heat and simmer for about 40-45 minutes.

Serving Suggestions

Serve kuru dolma hot. You can enhance its flavor with garlic yogurt and fresh bread. Drizzling pomegranate molasses on top adds a unique aroma.

With this delicious kuru dolma recipe, you can add a traditional Anatolian flavor to your table. Enjoy your meal!