Vine-Leaf Parcels

This takes longer to prepare and cook, but it is a great low-fat and high fiber appetizer recipe, and it is great for potluck or dinner parties. A "Healthy Vegetarian Cookery" recipe by Nicole Oakley

• Ready In: 2 hrs 10 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 2 (225 g) cans grape leaves, drained (canned or bottled)
•  salt
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 175  g long grain brown rice
• 1  tablespoon  vegetable oil
• 1  small onion, peeled and finely chopped
• 100  g  dried apricots, finely chopped
• 50  g sultanas
• 1  pinch ground cinnamon
• 1  pinch ground allspice
• 1  tablespoon  chopped of fresh mint
• 1  teaspoon lemon juice
• 300  ml  unsweetened orange juice
• 150  ml water

Directions

1. Unroll the vine leaves carefully and put them into a bowl of water to remove the preserving liquid.
2. Pat them dry on absorbent kitchen paper towel.
3. You will need about 30 leaves; reserve the remainder.
4. Bring a large saucepan of salted water to boil and stir in the turmeric.
5. Add the rice and simmer for 30 minutes or until the rice is just tender.
6. Drain thoroughly and turn into a bowl.
7. Heat the oil in a small frying pan.
8. Add the onion to the rice with the apricots, sultanas, spices, mint and lemon juice.
9. Mix well together.
10. Take one vine leaf at a time.
11. Place it flat on the work surface and put a heaped teaspoon of the rice mixture in the centre.
12. Fold the base of the leaf over the filling, then fold over the first one side, then the other.
13. Fold over the top to make a neat parcel.
14. Continue making parcels until you have used up all the filling.
15. Line a large frying pan with leftover vine leaves.
16. Arrange the parcels, seam sides down, in a single layer in the pan.
17. Cover the layer with more leaves, then make a second layer of parcels and cover them with leaves.
18. Pour on the orange juice and water and cover the pan.
19. Cook gently over low heat for 1 hour, adding a little boiling water from time to time, if necessary.
20. To serve warm, allow the parcels to cool slightly in the pan, then arrange uncooked vine leaves on a flat serving dish and carefully transfer the parcels to the dish.
21. Serve immediately.
22. To serve cold, allow the parcels to cool completely in the pan, then arrange on top of uncooked vine leaves on a serving dish as above.
23. Cover and chill.