Turkish Biber Dolması

Turkish Biber Dolması

SpiceBreeze
Aromatic stuffed vegetables are a Turkish specialty. For Biber Dolması, small green bell peppers with thin skin are simmered in a light tomato sauce. The typical filling is a meat and rice mixture seasoned with mint, parsley, and regional dried peppers. Our blend features the mild and fruity pepper from Aleppo. For a vegetarian version combine raisin and pine nuts with rice.
Hands-on Time 30 mins
Course Main Course
Cuisine Turkish
Servings 3

Ingredients
  

Protein

  • 6 oz ground beef* or lamb, pork, or poultry

Fresh Produce

  • 1 onion finely chopped
  • 1 cup parsley finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 4-5 medium green bell peppers**/***

Packaged Goods/Staples

  • 1.5 cups short grain rice raw, rinsed
  • 1 cup tomato puree
  • 3-5 cups broth of your choice
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • salt & pepper

Biber Dolması Culinary Spice Kit

  • Paprika, Aleppo pepper, mint, cumin, black pepper

Suggested Sides

  • fresh bread
  • fresh salad

Instructions
 

Prepare

  • Dissolve tomato puree in 3 cups broth.
  • [Step 2] In a BOWL, add all remaining ingredients, except the bell peppers and broth. Add Biber Dolması spices and salt to taste. Mix well.
  • Of each bell pepper, cut off the top and clean out the seeds.
  • Fill them with the mixture from [step 2].
  • Find a POT that is wide enough to tightly fit all bell peppers in one layer.

Cook

  • In the POT, place filled bell peppers with the top up. Optionally, cover with the bell pepper top.
  • Pour tomato-broth around them.
  • Add more broth up to 2/3 of the height of the bell peppers. Add salt to taste.
  • Cover the POT. Bring broth to a boil.
  • Turn heat to medium-low.
  • Cook for about 30 minutes until the rice is cooked.
  • Enjoy!

Notes

* Substitute meat with 1 cup of raisins and pine nuts.
** If you can find small thin bell peppers, double the amount of bell peppers and use a wider pot.
*** Substitute green bell peppers with other colored bell peppers, zucchini, or both.