Stuffed Grape Leaves and Zucchini with Meat

Name: Stuffed Grape Leaves and Zucchini with Meat
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2.2 lbs (1 kg) pickled grape leaves; 4.4 lbs (2 kg) hollowed zucchini; For the stuffing:; 4 cups Italian or Egyptian rice (I prefer Italian); 2.2 lbs (1 kg) ground meat, fine or coarse as you like; Salt and pepper to taste; 1 teaspoon cinnamon; 2 teaspoons turmeric; 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom; 1 pinch nutmeg; 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika; 3 tablespoons oil; 2 tablespoons ghee; For the bottom of the pot:; 1 large onion, sliced into rings; 6 cloves garlic; 2 carrots (optional); 2 tomatoes, sliced into rings (optional); 4.4 lbs (2 kg) lamb chops or cutlets; Salt, pepper, and cinnamon to taste; 1 pinch ground cardamom; For the broth:; Juice of 4 lemons; Water to cover; Salt to taste

Hanady Najjar @cook_6054541

Beirut, Lebanon

I cooked this in a pressure cooker, which is why I added the lemon juice from the start. If I had cooked it in a regular pot, I wouldn't have added the lemon juice until the end, then boiled it for 10 minutes.

Hanady Najjar @cook_6054541

Saved

Ingredients

2.2 lbs (1 kg)pickled grape leaves
4.4 lbs (2 kg)hollowed zucchini
For the stuffing:
4 cupsItalian or Egyptian rice (I prefer Italian)
2.2 lbs (1 kg)ground meat, fine or coarse as you like
Salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspooncinnamon
2 teaspoonsturmeric
1/4 teaspoonground cardamom
1 pinchnutmeg
1 1/2 teaspoonspaprika
3 tablespoonsoil
2 tablespoonsghee
For the bottom of the pot:
1large onion, sliced into rings
6 clovesgarlic
2carrots (optional)
2tomatoes, sliced into rings (optional)
4.4 lbs (2 kg)lamb chops or cutlets
Salt, pepper, and cinnamon to taste
1 pinchground cardamom
For the broth:
Juice of 4 lemons
Water to cover
Salt to taste

Saved

Steps

1

Boil the grape leaves for about 20 minutes, then rinse and drain them.
2

Rinse the rice and drain it. I don't soak it. Then mix all the stuffing ingredients.
3

Stuff the zucchini and roll the grape leaves.
4

Prepare everything and season the meat with its spices and salt along with the vegetables.
5

Place a few grape leaves at the bottom of the pot, then add the meat and vegetables.
6

Arrange the grape leaves and place the zucchini with them.
7

I put some stuffing in aluminum foil, wrapped it like a grape leaf roll, and pierced it with a knife.
8

Place the wrapped stuffing on top of the zucchini and continue layering the rest of the zucchini on top.
9

Sprinkle with salt, place a weight on them, cover with water and lemon juice, and press them down. Once the pressure cooker whistles, set the timer for 25 minutes, then turn it off and let the pot cool slightly from boiling.
10

Open the pot and carefully drain the broth.
11

Remove the zucchini and the wrapped stuffing from the top.
12

Remove the grape leaves and arrange them on a platter with the zucchini and lamb chops, and add a little broth.
13

Note: You can strain the broth and flip the pot over a large platter if you prefer. I like to arrange them. Enjoy!