Azerbaijani Stuffed Grape Leaves- Yapaq Dolmasi

Having tried "dolma" from several countries I like these the best. Traditionally these are very small, quarter sized. The big leaves you can get in jars in the U.S. can be halved to make nice little ones. But nothing beats the dolma from fresh tender leaves.

• Ready In: 2 hrs 30 mins
• Serves: 10

Ingredients

• 2  lbs ground lamb
• 2  large onions (minced)
• 1⁄2 cup butter
•  salt and pepper
• 2  cups raw rice (rinsed and drained)
• 1⁄2 cup fresh dill weed (minced)
• 1⁄2 cup fresh cilantro (minced)
• 1⁄2 cup fresh parsley (minced)
• 16  ounces grape leaves (rinsed)
•  plain yogurt

Directions

1. Saute onions in butter until soft. If lamb is fatty you can use less butter or if not too fatty you can use more butter. Parboil rice and cool. Mix meat with rice, onion, , salt and pepper, dill, cilantro and parsley. (this is easiest with your hands) Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add grape leaves. Boil the leaves 3 to 5 minutes, don't cook through, this is just to make them more pliable.
2. Place a grape leaf on flat surface vein side up. The amount of filling you place on the leaf depends on the size of the leaf and how many you want to end up with. Snip off any remaining stem from the leaf, you can put this inside the meat mixture. Place filling at the stem end of the leaf. Fold in sides and roll up tightly. Place seam side down in a large pot that you have pour a thin layer of olive oil into, put the big ones on the bottom spacing them in an overlapping pattern so the steam can circulate around the dolma. The bigger the dolma the more space between them. Pour water over finished dolma about 1/3 the way up. Bring to boil, reduce to low and cook for 45 minutes to 1 hour.
3. Serve with plain yogurt mixed with crushed garlic.