Yarpaq dolma is grape leaves stuffed with minced meat, rice, herbs, and spices, then simmered until tender. It is one of the most popular types of dolma in Azerbaijan and is often served with yogurt or a garlic-yogurt sauce.
What is Yarpaq Dolma?
Yarpaq dolma ("yarpaq" means leaf) is grape leaves stuffed with a mixture of minced meat (usually lamb or beef), rice, onion, herbs, and spices. The leaves are rolled around the filling and simmered in a pot with a little water or broth until tender. It is one of the most loved dolma varieties in Azerbaijan and is found at family tables and in restaurants year-round.
How do you eat Yarpaq Dolma?
Yarpaq dolma is served warm or at room temperature, often with thick yogurt, garlic-yogurt sauce, or sour cream. Eat one or two rolls per bite, with a fork or by hand. A squeeze of lemon or a sprinkle of sumac is common. It is usually part of a larger spread with bread and salad.
What kind of leaves are used for Yarpaq Dolma?
Grape leaves are used either fresh (from the vine in season) or brined (jarred), which are available year-round. The leaves are blanched or rinsed to soften and remove excess salt, then filled and rolled. In Azerbaijan, local grape varieties are typical; brined leaves from the supermarket work well and are what many home cooks and restaurants use outside the harvest season.
Shape and the cook's skill
Unlike Greek or Turkish versions (often shaped like long cigars), authentic Azerbaijani yarpaq dolma is wrapped into tiny, perfectly round, bite-sized shapes resembling small coins or marbles. The smaller and rounder the dolma, the higher the skill of the cook. The leaves are packed tightly in a pot, weighed down with an inverted plate, and gently simmered in their own juices and a little broth until melt-in-the-mouth tender.
Agh Shani leaves and guyrug
The most prized leaves come from the "Agh Shani" (white grape) vines grown on the Absheron peninsula near Baku; they are famous for being incredibly thin, tender, and slightly tart. During spring (May and June), fresh pale-green leaves are harvested and used immediately. For the rest of the year, brined leaves are used. Authentic filling crucially includes "guyrug" (lamb tail fat) for juiciness. Yarpaq dolma is served glistening with melted butter or lamb fat, with thick garlic yogurt (qatiq), and you use fresh local bread to dip into the rich, herby broth at the bottom of the plate.
