Ingredients

• 1 medium head of cabbage
  
• 2 cups wheat berries (use rice as an alternative)
  
• 1 yellow onion (diced)
  
• 1 tablespoon fresh oregano (finely chopped)
  
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme (finely chopped)
  
• 1/2 cup vegetable or olive oil
  
• 1 can tomato paste
  
• Paprika
  
• Salt
  
• Black pepper

Directions

• Bring a large pot of water to boil with a sprinkle of salt.
  
• Peel outer leaves off cabbage and cut in half.
  
• Drop cabbage leaves into boiling water for 1-2 minutes
  
• Drain and set leaves aside.
  
• In a separate pan, sauté onions in oil.
  
• Add wheat berries (or rice), herbs, and salt and paprika to taste.
  
• Sauté for 5-10 minutes (wheat will not be cooked).
  
• Remove from heat.
  
• Place 1-2 tablespoons of wheat mixture in the center of a cabbage leaf and fold closed like an envelope.
  
• Repeat with cabbage leaves until you run out of filling.
  
• Place rolls in the bottom of a large pot (pot should be around halfway filled with dolmas).
  
• Add tomato paste and enough water to just cover the stacked dolmas.
  
• Place a heavy heat-proof plate directly on top of the dolmas and cover.
  
• Cook over medium-low heat for one hour or until the wheat is cooked (dolmas will expand to
  
• almost fill the pot!).
  
• Check water level occasionally and add more if necessary to keep the dolma from burning.
  

#sidedish #snack #vegan #vegetarian

Recipe submitted by Nara Martirosian, counterpart to a Peace Corps Volunteer in Armenia.