How to Make Lebanese Stuffed Grape Leaves (Warak Enab)

Warak enab (also written waraa einab, literally grape leaves) comes in two main styles in Lebanon. Warak enab bi lahme, with rice and meat, is a hot main course cooked on a bed of lamb chops so the meat juices soak into the rolls. Warak enab bi zeit, with rice, tomato, herbs and olive oil, is served cold as part of a mezze and is a Lenten staple.

Rolling is the slow part, so it is usually a family job on a Sunday morning. Leaves are picked young in late spring and early summer, and many households preserve a year’s supply in brine or the freezer. The finished pot is turned out onto a platter, with the browned chops on top.

Ingredients

For the filling

• 200 g (1 cup) Egyptian short-grain or medium-grain rice
• 400 g (14 oz) ground lamb or beef, or a mix, with some fat
• 2 teaspoons seven spice (baharat)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 2 tablespoons melted butter or olive oil

For rolling and cooking

• 60 to 70 grape leaves, from a 450 g (16 oz) jar in brine or fresh
• 600 g (1 1/3 lb) lamb chops or lamb ribs
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt for the chops
• 1 head garlic, cloves peeled
• Juice of 3 lemons, about 135 ml (1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon)
• About 1 liter (4 cups) boiling water
• 1/2 teaspoon salt for the cooking liquid

Instructions

1. Prepare the leaves. Jarred leaves: unroll, soak in cold water for 15 minutes, then rinse to remove the brine. Fresh leaves: blanch in boiling water for 30 seconds until they turn olive green, then drain. Snip off the stems and set torn leaves aside.
2. Rinse the rice in cold water three times and drain well. In a bowl, mix the rice with the meat, spices, salt and melted butter using your hands until even.
3. Roll the leaves. Lay a leaf shiny side down, vein side up, with the stem end toward you. Put a heaping teaspoon of filling in a thin line near the base. Fold the bottom over the filling, fold in both sides, then roll up firmly but not too tight, as the rice will swell. Each roll should be about the size of your finger.
4. Season the chops with salt. Heat the oil in a heavy, wide pot over medium high heat and brown the chops for 3 minutes per side. Leave them in a single layer on the bottom of the pot and turn off the heat.
5. Cover the chops with a layer of torn grape leaves. Arrange the rolls on top, seam side down, packed tightly side by side in rows, tucking garlic cloves between them. Start a new layer in the opposite direction when the first is full.
6. Place a heatproof plate upside down on top of the rolls to keep them from moving. Pour in enough boiling water to just cover the plate’s rim, add the salt, then cover the pot.
7. Bring to a boil over medium high heat, then lower to a gentle simmer and cook for 45 minutes.
8. Pour the lemon juice around the edges and continue to simmer for 30 to 40 minutes more, until a roll from the middle is tender and the rice is fully cooked. Most of the liquid should be absorbed. Add a little more water if the pot looks dry.
9. Rest off the heat, covered, for 15 minutes. Remove the plate, place a large platter on the pot and carefully flip it, or lift the rolls and chops out with a spoon. Serve warm.

Tips for the best warak enab

• Choose thin, tender leaves. Thick leaves stay chewy however long you cook them.
• Pack the rolls tightly in the pot and use a plate on top. Loose rolls unravel.
• Add the lemon partway through, not at the start, so the rice cooks fully before the acid firms it.
• Do not overfill: about a teaspoon and a half of filling for an average leaf.

Variations

For warak enab bi zeit, the vegetarian version, mix 200 g (1 cup) rinsed rice with 2 finely chopped tomatoes, 1 bunch each of parsley and mint, 4 chopped spring onions, 80 ml (1/3 cup) olive oil, the juice of 2 lemons, 1 teaspoon each of salt and dried mint, and 1/2 teaspoon allspice. Line the pot with sliced potatoes or tomatoes instead of chops, roll and pack as above, cover with water mixed with another 3 tablespoons olive oil and the juice of 1 lemon, and simmer gently for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes. Let it cool in the pot and serve at room temperature.

How to serve and store

Serve the meat version warm with plain yogurt or a cucumber and yogurt salad. Leftovers keep 3 days in the fridge; reheat gently with a splash of water. Uncooked rolls freeze well on a tray, then in a bag, for up to 3 months; cook them from frozen, adding 15 minutes.

Jarred leaves save hours. Anamel and Yalla Mooneh both produce Lebanese grape leaves and pantry staples.

Frequently Asked Questions