Words by David Elliott; Recipe by Chef Jamie McFadden
What does the last palace of the Ottoman sultans have in common with Turkish dolma?
Actually, royalty and stuffed peppers go together more than you think.
On the shores of the Bosporus in Istanbul stands the Dolmabahce Palace, a vast marble edifice built by Sultan Abdul Mecit in 1856 using loans from western banks.
Keep in mind, this was at a time when the empire was bankrupt and in terminal decline.
The name translates to “stuffed garden” in Turkish, referring to the fact that it was built on a piece of land reclaimed from the Bosporus – filled in, like a dolma.
Psst! Don’t forget to pin this post for later!
The mighty Ottoman Empire was itself by this time clearly stuffed, a doomed if still huge and splendid vegetable, just waiting for its insides to be forcibly removed and replaced by foreign bodies.
Turkey had backed the wrong side in the Great War; and now France, Russia and Britain were seated at the banqueting table to carve up the Sick Man of Europe — the main item on the menu.
They had pre-emptively started picking at different parts of the big, juicy prize and were inevitably falling out over who had best claim to the most succulent bits, like Istanbul.
I became acquainted with the Turkish dolma as a stuffed vegetable at a restaurant opposite this very palace during a visit to Turkey — specifically my first visit to the old imperial capital.
The clear blue waters of the Bosporus lapped gently against the quayside and old steam ferries criss-crossed the calm waters against a backdrop of domes, minarets and twinkling lights.
My waiter brought his offering to the table:
Three fat and succulent mince-and-rice dolmas — one red, one yellow and one green — in a steaming pan whose iron lid he melodramatically lifted with a flourish.
I immediately fell in love.
Turkish Dolma Origin
After the Turkish conquest of Constantinople in 1453, the conquerors found not only a city crammed with great historic architecture, but also a whole new recipe book.
The rather exotic dolma recipe was enjoyed exclusively by the Sultan and his Grand Vizier and courtiers, who dined in style in their new Topkapi Palace at Seraglio Point.
A plump vegetable stuffed with spiced meats and steamed to perfection on a slow cook was something of a novelty, and certainly a delicacy for the Ottomans.
From their previous capitals at Bursa and Edirne, the elite had had to make do with the healthy but limited fare that had been the mainstay of their forebears in Central Asia:
Mostly milk, yogurt and other dairy products, along with lamb.
Needless to say, they were excited to try something different.
The Turkish dolma was initially reserved for the Sultan’s table. Over time, it became absorbed into the new range of imperial dishes and was enjoyed by everyone.
It was a great leveller in a rigidly stratified society, and it spread eventually to the lower echelons of Ottoman society, becoming just as popular with peasant families scratching a living from the harsh soils of the Anatolian Plateau.
Tracing Turkish Food History: Dolma Inspiration
The idea behind the dolma is extremely old, and actually a no-brainer when you come to think about it.
Vegetables and fruits are hollowed out to leave just the skin, and then the interior is filled with anything you fancy.
Often, you’ll find the dolma is a plate of Turkish stuffed peppers.
The most popular stuffings have always been the likes of nuts, fruits, meats, rice and other vegetables, mixed together to make a compact and tasty filling.
There is mention of dolmas being eaten at Knossos, the Minoan palace complex on Crete that flourished more than two millennia ago.
Perhaps if King Minos had prepared a tempting dish of mince-filled dolmas the heavenly aroma would have been enough to tempt the Minotaur from its underground labyrinth instead of having to send Theseus in to tackle it.
The ancient Persians and Greeks enjoyed dishes of stuffed vine leaves wrapped around various foodstuffs; but, it wasn’t until well into the 15th century that the dolma in its classic modern incarnation was perfected in Constantinople.
It had been familiar to the Byzantines through their Greek heritage, and following the conquest of the city the classic Turkish dolma was quickly taken to heart and launched on its international career.
It fanned out with the victorious armies and their cooks and, along with many other elements of Islamic science, art and culture, it eventually reached the Balkans, North Africa, Saudi Arabia, Iran and even India.
Within just a few heady decades the dolma had established itself as a firm favorite with rulers and ruled alike, and it has never looked back.
It’s worth noting that even today in Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan dolmas rarely feature on the menu.
These are the regions where the Ottomans’ Turkic-Mongolian tribal forebears originally came from, and the absence of the dolma here reinforces the idea of a historic break with the past.
It became a potent culinary symbol of the close of a restless, unsettled way of life, when the Turks had been mercenaries to Middle Eastern caliphs, and the establishment of their own empire.
How To Make Turkish Dolma
A good dolma takes time and dedication to prepare.
The peppers — or other vegetables — have to be carefully hollowed out and kept intact, and the stuffing prepared separately.
Other vegetables and fruits that can be conveniently stuffed include tomatoes, potatoes, courgettes, aubergines and artichokes.
Cabbage leaves and vine leaves can also be wrapped around various foodstuffs like mince and rice. Such a delicacy is known as “sarma,” a sub-category of “dolma,” in Turkish.
Women tend to have the time and patience for this job and they often turn the occasion into a communal event in rural communities.
Another point in the dolma’s favor is that it can be served either hot or cold.
Any leftovers can be preserved in the fridge or larder and eaten in the morning, which comes in handy if meat forms part of the stuffing.
Some dolmas are deliberately not heated at all, as they form part of the cold mezzeh or selection of smaller dishes consumed before a main meal, often with a garlic dressing accompaniment.
Hot dolmas are normally reserved for a main course, served with salad and other vegetables and covered with rich gravy from the pan.
In the not-too-distant past — before fridges and the ready availability of fresh food in the winter months — vegetables were often hollowed out and dried in the sun before the cold weather set in, which along with salting is an age-old method of preserving foodstuffs for use over winter.
With the recent mass migration to the cities, this practice has to a large extent been abandoned.
Dolma Today
Today in Turkey you’re as likely to be offered dolmas as mezes and main courses in cities like Ankara and Istanbul as in rural eateries and household kitchens.
There’s something uniquely comforting about a plump, tasty and often colorful pepper dolma — with its “hat” still on — just waiting to have its succulent skin delicately parted with a sharp knife.
It’s this combination of plump decadence and the hint of violence that always reminds me of the Sultans when I start to dig in.
The vast rooms of the Dolmabahce Palace stand empty now, as forlorn as ghosts banished forever from their time.
However, the dolma marches ever-onward as a living reminder of those far-off days when the Ottomans ruled from Algeria and Egypt to Mecca and Baghdad, and their armies threatened Vienna.
How To Make Dolmas [Video]
Want to watch how stuffed dolmas are made first-hand?
Check out this cooking video:
Vegetarian Turkish Dolma Recipe
Want a Turkish dolma recipe so you can make your own at home?
Chef Jamie McFadden, founder of Cuisiniers Catering, offers a unique spin on the classic.
This vegetarian dolma recipe — which could actually be considered “sarma,” as the vegetable is wrapped around the filling — is gluten-free, grain- and rice-free and 100% vegan.
Pro tip:
Chef Jamie suggests pairing turkish dolmas with Snowbirds Vintners Grüner Veltliner or Sandy Ridge Vineyards Cuvee Red Blend.
Makes 30 dolmas
Ingredients:
- 30 grape leaves, rinsed, drained, and dried
- 2 cups parsnips, peeled, cored, and chopped
- ½ cup white onion, minced
- 1/4 cup toasted Pine nuts
- 1 tbsp chopped garlic
- 1/4 cup chopped celery
- 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
- ¼ cups minced red pepper
- ¼ cups chopped parsley
- 1/4 cups chopped mint
- ¾ tsp each salt & pepper
- zest of 1 lemon
- 1/4 cup currants soaked in water & drained
Instructions:
Step 1:
Soak the grape leaves in warm water for 2 hours, dry thoroughly, and set aside between paper towels to keep separated.
Preheat oven to 150 degree. Place 1/2 cup white minced onion in 150° oven for 20 minutes to dry. Cool and add to mixture below.
Step 2:
Preperation: 2 cups parsnips, peeled cored, chopped.
Place in food processor, and pulse until it resembles rice.
Transfer to a bowl, and add the dried onion.
Step 3:
Combine:
- 1/4 cup toasted Pine nuts
- 1 tbsp chopped garlic
- 1/4 cup chopped celery
- 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
Puree in food processor until mayonnaise like. Place in mixing bowl and add Parsnips.
Step 4:
Combine:
- ¼ cups minced red pepper
- ¼ cups chopped parsley
- 1/4 cups chopped mint
- ¾ tsp each salt & pepper
- zest of 1 lemon
- 1/4 cup currants soaked in water & drained
Blend gently in mixing bowl and mix in parsnip and pine nut mix.
Season with salt and pepper to taste, add an additional squeeze of lemon juice as desired.
Step 5:
Assemble:
Place 1 Tbsp of filling per grape leaf and roll.
Chill and store in refrigerator up to 2 days
Enjoy!
Do you have a delicious Turkish dolma recipe to share, or just a fun fact?
Enjoyed this post? Pin it for later!
