Dolma is the Kurdish celebration dish. Every family has their version, and every family is quietly certain that their version is the best. The core concept — a filling of spiced rice and meat wrapped in a leaf or stuffed into a vegetable — appears across the Middle East and the Caucasus, but Kurdish dolma has its own character: the seasoning is subtle, the grape leaves are ideally fresh or very good quality preserved, and the ratio of rice to meat is a matter of genuine domestic negotiation.

For the filling, start with lamb that you have ground yourself if possible, or bought from a halal butcher who grinds it fresh. Mix it with short-grain rice that has been soaked in water for twenty minutes and drained, finely chopped onion, tomato, fresh parsley, dried mint, a little allspice, salt, and black pepper. The filling should be loose — the rice will expand during cooking, and a tight filling produces a hard dolma.

The grape leaves, if using preserved ones, should be rinsed well and the stems removed. Place a teaspoon of filling near the stem end of each leaf, fold the sides in, and roll tightly. Layer them in a heavy pot, cover with a plate to keep them from unrolling, add water or broth to just cover, and simmer on low heat for at least an hour. The result should be tender, fragrant, and slightly tangy from the grape leaves. Serve with cold yogurt.