Dolmehs & Vegetables

Rarely do Iranians eat cooked vegetables on their own as separate side dishes. Instead, vegetables are usually combined with yogurt, dried beans, grains, and fruits, or stuffed with fruits, rice, and meats.

Some of the favorite stuffed vegetables, called dolmeh, are grape and cabbage leaves, eggplant, zucchini, and tomatoes. Fruits such as quinces and apples are also excellent for stuffing. A basic dolmeh stuffing is made of onion, ground lamb, rice, split peas, tarragon, and summer savory. The flavors vary depending on the regions. For example, by the Caspian, citrus or pomegranate juice, olive oil, and saffron give the sauce its distinctive northern flavor. In central Iran, they use vinegar, grape molasses, and tail fat. In southern Iran, tamarind, cilantro, red pepper, and ghee flavor the sauce. Generally speaking, dolmehs may be served cold as an appetizer or hot as a main dish accompanied with bread and yogurt.